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_ l L F f A renowned parks system Expanding the system Thanks to the vision and commitment of previous generations, the To meet the needs of the region in 2030, the Council proposes a seven-county Twin Cities area enjoys a regional parks and open variety of changes to the current regional parks system.Among space system with few rivals across the globe. them: • Designate two existing county parks and three trails as More than 100 years ago,visionaries like Horace Cleveland and "regional." Charles Loring helped establish an outstanding network of drives, In Washington County, Pine Point Park parks and boulevards around the lakes and rivers of Minneapolis In Ramsey County,Tony Schmidt Park and St. Paul. In response to state legislation, the Metropolitan In Ramsey County/St. Paul, three regional trails -Trout Council in 1974 designated about 31,000 acres of existing parks Brook, Summit Avenue, and Lexington Parkway owned by counties,cities and special park districts as "regional Acquire and develop three new parks. Search areas include: recreation open space."Those parks had about five million visits Northwestern Anoka County in 1975. Empire Township in Dakota County ffim Blakeley Township in Scott County Is Between 1974 and 2004, the Council—with both regional and Acquire and develop seven new trails. Search areas include: state funds—invested$367 million to help local park agencies The Crow River, in Carver County and Three Rivers develop these parks as well as acquire and develop new parks and Park District trails for the growing metropolitan population.Today, the system Both a north/south and an east/west trail traversing includes: Dakota County 52,000 acres An east/west trail traversing Scott County • 47 regional parks and park reserves In Three Rivers Park District, a trail connecting parts of Baker • Six special recreation features,such as the zoo and conservatory Park Reserve; a trail connecting Baker and Crow-Hassan Park at Como Park Reserves; and a trail connecting Crow-Hassan and Elm Creek • 22 regional trails (170 miles currently open to the public) Park Reserves 30.5 million visitors annually(2003 estimate) Acquire land within the current boundaries of 30 existing parks and four trails Between 1970 and 2000, the population of the seven-county area Acquire natural-resource lands adjacent to six existing grew from 1.87 million to 2.64 million.The Council projects that parks and six existing trails & by 2030 nearly one million more people will live in the region. 0 OV p_ / p Now is the time to identify and preserve the last best natural The last best places resources and outdoor recreational opportunities in the region for future generations. To meet the needs of the region beyond 2030, the Council propos- es to acquire four new regional parks or reserves and three new Preserving ourfuture trails.These parks would not be developed until after 2030, but the opportunity to acquire them will likely be lost if the lands As it works to preserve and expand the regional parks system,the aren't identified and purchased before 2030.The goal is to secure Council will be guided by five major policies: the last best places, complete the acquisition of the regional park • Identify and protect,forever, lands with high-quality natural system, and secure opportunities for future generations, just as our resources that are desirable for regional parks system activities. predecessors did for us. Search areas include: • Provide adequate and equitable funding to acquire, develop ° Parks—Miller Lake area and Minnesota River Bluff and Ravines and rehabilitate regional parks and trails. in Carver County;southwestern Dakota County; and Cedar • Provide a regional system of recreation opportunities for all Lake area in Scott County. residents while maintaining the integrity of the natural ' Trails—northwestern Anoka County; central to south Carver resource base. County; and Minnesota River to Spring Lake in Scott County. • Promote master planning and integrated resource planning across jurisdictions. ' Protect the public investment in the regional parks system.