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Come this summer you'll be able to sleep in a cabin at Camp Ojiketa or reserve the whole darn ensemble of buildings if you want, under a new fee schedule adopted by the city. Camp Ojiketa, on Big Green Lake, offers a range of accommodations-- from lodge-style structures to cabins, to staking a tent at a campsite in the woods.

January 12 the Chisago City Council was brought up to speed on recommended fees for the public's use of Ojiketa. Council unanimously approved the fee schedule as part of the city's roster of fees. Park programmer Doris Zacho said she looked at existing park and building rental fees the Department of Natural Resources uses for state parks. She checked out a major national Internet park reservations provider and checked into what's offered in the hospitality industry.

There will be no charge to enter Camp Ojiketa this summer. Also, even though private parties may be renting cabins or lodges the parkland is to remain open to the public.

Chisago City preserved the 70-plus acre Camp Fire Camp when it bought it from the organization last year; with the help of private donations, state grants and borrowing.

If you have an upcoming function that can make use of several cabins, two lodges and an outdoor chapel; it'll cost you $5,250 to reserve the whole camp for a weekend (afternoon Friday to early Sun.)

If you just want a cabin for a quick get-away a large one runs about $85. Small cabins, a ways from the lake, are more like $35 a night.

A primitive tenting campsite is $15 (or $20 on the lake.)

Detailed information will be available on the Chisago City website, or talk to somebody at Chisago City Hall. Camp Oijiketa reservations are being booked at city hall. There was discussion about using a webbased booking service, but council asked to see additional information about the provider and about potentially offering other city fee payments on-line.

In a related matter, council officially accepted three donations from private persons totalling $600 to be used for Ojiketa. Donations are welcome, as the city embarks on this new adventure of preserving a very special open space, and making it available for the public to enjoy.

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