Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission
  • Home
    • District Workshops
  • Applications
    • Application Toolbox
  • About the Commission
    • Commission Members
    • Commission Login
  • Meetings and Agendas
  • Our Work
  • Contact Us
  • News

News and Resource Library

GMRPTC Visits Duluth Traverse for Designation Review

12/29/2017

Comments

 
Recently, Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Executive Director Renee Mattson and System Plan Coordinator Joe Czapiewski toured the Duluth Traverse, a 100-mile mountain bike trail system spanning the length of the City of Duluth. The city has applied for regional designation for the trail, recently receiving a “high” ranking for their application as a Special Recreation Feature facility.

Applying for designation as a regionally significant park or trail is a thorough process designed to not only vet parks and trails against rigorous criteria, but to also help elevate facilities to reach their full potential. Regionally designated parks in Greater Minnesota are eligible for Parks and Trails Legacy amendment funding.

Greater Minnesota cities and counties begin by self-evaluating their facility against criteria established in the Commission’s Strategic Plan. Duluth used tutorials in the Commission’s website “application toolbox” that can help with this process. When they were comfortable that the Traverse was a potential match, they completed an application through the GMRPTC’s online application portal. The application was then ranked against the criteria by an independent Evaluation Team (ETeam), a group of five individuals selected by the Commission for their expertise in recreation development and evaluation.

For Duluth, the application review resulted in a “high” ranking on a high/medium/low scale. That means that the Traverse compares well against the criteria and should complete a qualified Master Plan. The Commission provides an online Master Planning portal, a step by step guide for completing all the information required for a unit Master Plan. Once that plan is completed and submitted in the portal, a higher level of evaluation kicks into gear.

Master Plans ensure that the applicant understands and takes advantage of the opportunities available to it while meeting the needs of the region. Commission staff reviewed the Master Plan and provided Duluth with feedback on how it could be improved. Once complete, the ETeam will conduct a comprehensive scoring evaluation of the plan, resulting in a score on a 500 point scale.

With that information in hand, the GMRPTC District Planning Committee for District 1 has a chance to review and comment on the plan, while staff conduct an on-site review of the facility. The on-site review gives staff a chance to understand the plan in the local context and to talk to the applicant about the great things their facility will accomplish. Sometimes, like with the Traverse, it results in a little “hands-on” exploration by foot, ATV, or fat bike.

All this information is then presented to the Commission for consideration as a regionally significant facility.  It’s important to note that it is the future concept for the facility, not necessarily its current state, that is evaluated and designated. The Commission has designated a range of facilities, from ones that are completed and possibly in need of rejuvenation, to ones that haven’t yet turned the first shovel full of dirt. The final scoring and consideration of the Duluth Traverse will likely take place early in 2018.
​
For more information about regional designation, please contact System Plan Coordinator Joe Czapiewski at coordinator@gmrptcommission.org.
Comments

Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission Announces Legacy Grant Recommendations for FY19

12/14/2017

Comments

 
ecember 13, 2017
 
The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission has announced grant recommendations for the FY19 funding cycle. 
 
The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission was established in 2013 to carry out system planning and provide recommendations to the legislature for grants funded by the Legacy Parks and Trails fund to counties and cities outside the seven-county metropolitan area, for parks and trails of regional significance.
 
Of the 47 regionally designated parks and trails in the Greater Minnesota system (at the time of application), the Commission received 19 applications and selected 13 projects totaling $8,809,875, to recommend for legislative approval. 
 
Successful applicants submitted projects that met the 25-Year Legacy Plan Strategic Directions:

  • Connect People to the Outdoors
  • Acquire Land, Create Opportunities
  • Take Care of What We Have
  • Coordinate Among Partners
 
“These grants will truly shape communities and provide enhanced opportunities for outdoor recreation in Greater Minnesota for both residents and visitors” said Tom Ryan, Commission Vice Chair.
 
In addition to helping create and maintain recreation resources, parks and trails Legacy grants contribute to the state’s economy and its vital $13 billion travel and tourism industry, with 250,000 full and part-time workers.

The complete list of grant recommendations for Fiscal Year 19
 
Project                                                                                     Award 
Red Lake River Corridor Joint Powers Board                         $200,786
Red Wing Barn Bluff Park                                                       $1,137,433
Elk River Woodland Trails Park                                               $362,000
Cannon Valley Trail                                                                 $1,055,135
Granite Falls Memorial Park                                                   $732,261
Cohasset Tioga Recreation Area                                             $690,000
Big Falls Campground and Horse Camp                                 $1,278,030
Redwood County Plum Creek Park                                         $301,435
Hermantown Proctor Munger Trail Spur                               $820,000
Lyon County Twin Lakes Park                                                 $342,470
Lake County Mountain Bike Trails                                          $659,000
Isanti County Irving & John Anderson County Park               $594,000
Rochester Cascade Lake Park                                                 $637,325


press_release_12132017.docx
File Size: 53 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

Comments

Parks and Trails Legacy Advisory Committee Seeks Applicants

12/9/2017

Comments

 
The Department of Natural Resources, the Metropolitan Council and the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission are seeking qualified applicants to serve on the Parks and Trails Legacy Advisory Committee.

The purpose of the Legacy Advisory Committee is to promote and coordinate implementation of the 25 Year Parks and Trails Legacy Plan. Funding recommendations for individual projects is not a part of this committee's work. Note: This is not an application for the GMRPTC. See the release for more information. APPLICATIONS DUE DECEMBER 16.
DNR Press Release
Application Form
Comments

    Categories

    All
    Agency Plans And Reports
    Demographics
    Emerging Trends & Designs
    Natural Resource Management
    News
    Outdoor Recreation Research
    Public Health Values
    Technical Planning & Design Guidelines/Standards


    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016


    RSS Feed

    Subscribe to
    receive blog posts
    in your email.

    * indicates required
Picture
Questions? Contact coordinator@gmrptcommission.org
© 2021 Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission.
All Rights Reserved.

News Blog
  • Home
    • District Workshops
  • Applications
    • Application Toolbox
  • About the Commission
    • Commission Members
    • Commission Login
  • Meetings and Agendas
  • Our Work
  • Contact Us
  • News