February 2, 2017 at 3:21 p.m.
Wilderness park trail creating conflict
Wilderness park trail creating conflict
In mid-January, however, snowmobilers found that their sleds could not traverse the slough/channel on the north edge of Allemansratt between the two lakes, because of open water.
Wild River Snowmobile Club official Clayton Peltier, contacted Lindstrom City Administrator John Olinger to seek use of Allemansratt Park as a connection. The club acted swiftly when the okay was granted, and within a day it was downing trees and clearing a corridor through the park.
One of the main issues the park friends have with this action is the snowmobilers created a trail that crosses walking and snowshoe trails twice within the park. People using Allemansratt are not expecting to encounter any ATVs or snowmobiles and this creates a dangerous situation. The ecosystem at the park is deep forest and rotting vegetation, such as fallen trees swiftly removed for the trail, are an important part of the cycle of the forest. There are hilly portions where erosion will be a concern.
Olinger tells the Press he made the best decision he could with the information on-hand, when he spoke with the snowmobile club leader on Martin Luther King Day, Jan 16. The mayor granted permission for the club to traverse the wilderness park and Olinger also spoke with Park Friends representative and city park commission member, Shari Bachman. She said she didn’t think through the issues when she agreed (with a number of conditions) and then contacted the city hours later to say she retracted her response, too late, saying it should be aired within the whole Friends and appointed city parks groups.
Olinger tells the Press it was a “unique circumstance” developing around the snowmobile trail, with a private landowner upset about sledders trespassing too. Olinger said he opted for the least potentially dangerous and least-invasive resolution. He said this was only supposed to be an “emergency” action, not a permanent trail segment.
Bachman says the snowmobilers need to learn how to turn around, and find a feasible trail when they come upon conditions that don’t favor continued sledding, such as open water.
Snowmobilers don’t have any special right to carve a trail through a woodland in one of very few Lindstrom wild areas being conserved, she declared.
The Friends (see letter to editor) ask why the rush? The park commission should have been given the club’s request and then the group should have advised city council. “There are hundreds of miles of trail, and only one special park where motors are not allowed,” Bachman pointed out.
When they meet February 6 the city park commission will seek “permanent protection” for Allemansratt on the agenda, and make a recommendation on this trail to city council members.
Lindstrom City Council meets February 16.
There is an ordinance on motorized uses in parks, but the city administrator said it falls short of addressing a situation such as this. “In the past we have not had a (similar) situation and an ordinance can’t address everything.” Olinger said. He welcomes having the park use and trail location “re-evaluated” and said this was supposed to be a one-season only allowance.
Bachman explained that she thinks the park supporters would be most-receptive to see this closed-off “...before it gets out there that it’s part of the trail system.”
Contact the city council to express an opinion by emailing members at [email protected] and your comments will be printed.
Individual councilmembers can be contacted. Reach Bachman at [email protected] or call 257-9380.
You may send an e mail to olinger at [email protected] or leave a message at 257-0625.
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