​On a blustery February 6 evening, hundreds of folks gathered at the Minnesota History Center to celebrate the first ten years since the passing of the Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment. 
 
The four Legacy funds – Parks and Trails, Clean Water, Outdoor Heritage and Arts & Cultural Heritage – had an opportunity to demonstrate the significant work each has done in their respective areas and gather feedback about how the public views these efforts.
 
The Parks and Trails partners, DNR, Metropolitan Council and GMRPTC, made a considerable effort during 2018 to “Celebrate, Education and Listen” at eight legacy events across the State, as well as the 12-day run of the Minnesota State Fair.  The February 6 gathering was the first 10-Year Legacy event bringing all the funds together for an evening of reflection and highlights.
 
Legislators who worked on the ballot initiative language in the beginning, as well as legislators currently involved in the Legacy funds spoke and noted the magnitude of this historic achievement.
 
This attached summary report is a useful document that provides an overview of the work of each of the funds and highlights the collective benefits that have touched each county in the state in these first years.

The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission, together with its Parks and Trails Legacy Advisory Committee partners the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Metropolitan Council, have released a new report marking the 10-year anniversary of the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment.

The Parks and Trails Legacy Advisory Committee (PTLAC) embarked on a series of regional public events to celebrate, educate, and listen as citizens shared their perspectives on, and aspirations for, Minnesota's comprehensive system of state and regional parks and trails.

By hosting nine regional events across the state, the PTLAC was able to celebrate the impact of Legacy funding with over 12,500 Minnesotans. In keeping with the spirit of Minnesota parks and trails, participants enjoyed activities that showcased the time of year and what made each site unique.

The report shares highlights of the celebrations across the state, summarizing the extensive efforts to share information about the impact of Legacy funding on the state's regional parks and trails system, and explains how what was learned will impact priorities and decisions for the next 15 years of Legacy funding.

Read the report below.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced grant funding opportunities for park and trail projects across Minnesota. Applications are now being accepted for the following grant programs: outdoor recreation, natural and scenic area, regional trail, local trail connections and federal recreational trails.

These grants help local governments throughout the state create partnerships with the DNR to fund projects ranging from local parks, regional trails to trail connections. Information about each of the grants can be found at this link provided by our friends at the League of Minnesota Cities.

Current Grant Opportunities

Lac qui Parle County has a gem of a County park that has been in development for decades, thanks to the work of the park's friends group. In 2015 the County applied for designation as a regionally significant park, receiving a "High" ranking by the Commission. Having no master plan in place, the County Board and Friends of the Park group started a long process of visioning and planning for the park's future development..

This week, the new Master Plan entered final public review before being finalized and adopted by the County Board! The next step after official adoption will be to submit the Plan to the Greater Minnesota Regional Development Commission through the online portal for final scoring evaluation by the ETeam, the District Planning Committee and the Commission. The Commission will use that evaluation to determine if the park merits designation as a regionally significant park.

Follow the park's progress on their Facebook page HERE.

You can also read the full plan HERE.

For any questions, contact Kristi Fernholz of the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission at kristi.fernholz@umvrdc.org
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The GMRPTC has released its annual report to the legislature for 2017, detailing the extent of the Greater Minnesota system, project outcomes for Fiscal Years 2016-2018, key accomplishments for the year, and funding recommendations for Fiscal Year 2019. We extend our appreciation to all of our partners across Greater Minnesota, especially the hard work of our 13 appointed volunteer Commissioners, for making all of this possible!

Learn more about the Greater Minnesota system at an upcoming Parks and Trails Legacy Celebration in your region - fun for the whole family! Learn More Here

MnDOT has released their 2017 State Bicycle Map as a resource for both users and those planning transportation systems. As County-level maps are completed, they are also being added to the website. MnDOT Bicycle Maps.

"With a team of others from across the Rochester community, she is working to ensure that everyone, regardless of ability level, can experience the joy of biking." 
Read More Here

While the GMRPTC is a separate entity from the DNR, we are still partner agencies. Planning coordination between the Commission and MN DNR Parks and Trails is important. ​The purpose of the Parks and Trails Strategic Plan is to communicate the Division’s strategic priorities to staff and partners, so that they understand them and can assist with implementation efforts. 

Mn/DOT has created a new state bicycle map, available as a pdf download or in print. They have also created individual county-level bicycle maps, available online. Check it out! 
​Link here