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Dresel Contracting will be putting a hard surface on the newest section of the Swedish Immigrant Regional Trail very soon;  so local officials and some recreation enthusiasts got on-site August 27,  before the work crews arrive, to celebrate a ceremonial trail “groundbreaking.”

Brushing and clearing  was already done early this summer to prep the corridor for improvements.  Costs for this second round of project bids were reduced by bidding out a lime-rock solid surface,  but plans are for trail supporters to continue to pursue outside funding for later paving.  

Groundbreaking ceremonies occurred at a cleared area, on Tern Avenue just north of Hwy. 8, which is slated to be a trail parking lot. The trail project area begins at Tern Ave. and heads back into Taylors Falls alongside the north edge of Wildwood Campground,  to the edge of Interstate Park.

Chisago County Parks Director Laird Mork thanked county staff and trailside cities’ officials,  who have doggedly contributed to developing the Swedish Immigrant Regional Trail.
The east-west trail route has been on the county’s parks and trails plan for at least 20 years.

Eventually, the regional trail will cross the state park and becomes a state expense at that point. There is a memo of understanding with the DNR for the state to develop this segment. (Remind your legislators to ask the DNR about its Interstate Park piece.)

Mork  commended the property owners (a few were on hand last week) who have cooperated on easements and purchase agreements for portions of the trail on their parcels. “I can’t say enough about them,” he stated.

Mork added that  State Representative Phyllis Kahn,  deserves a thank you for making sure this segment (east end) was included in a funding appropriation when nobody else was willing to champion it.  State funds are at least 70 percent of this project.

Commissioner George McMahon noted that all the cities most directly affected: Taylors Falls, Shafer, Center City and Lindstrom are on the same page to make this trail a reality. It has also become an element in the “ABC” competition that the Chisago Lakes-Hwy. 8 area cities have been directing their attention to.  

America’s Best Communities is a national contest with Chisago Lakes as the only location in Minnesota to be chosen to continue into the semi-finals.  A number of cities are competing for a multi-million dollar economic and quality of life improvement cash prize. This semi-final portion of the contest closes with a master plan presentation by competitors in a matter of months.

And, Chisago County’s non-profit Parks & Trails Foundation was represented at the groundbreaking by Joe Sausen.  

He spoke of the lands along the route first being a wilderness path, and then used as a stagecoach route and later a railroad line.  Now the public will use it once again to connect communities as a biking and walking trail, he observed.









 

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