News and Press Releases
Stearns County has a New Park
November 1, 2007
Stearns County has another 265 acres in its Park system. This morning, Stearns County staff closed on a piece of lakeshore property on Kraemer Lake in St. Joseph that will be the site of a new County park.
There is approximately ¾ of a mile of lake frontage on this property purchased from the Honer family. In the future, possibly 2010, the plans are to use this lakeshore property for swimming, a fishing pier and non-motorized watercraft access.
There is an existing cross-country ski trail that will continue to be used this winter with parking access along County Road 51 west of St. Joseph. A state ski pass is required to ski the trail.
The site also contains Stearns County’s only commercial maple syrup operation. The County intends to allow the Honer family to continue the operation with future interpretive classes provided.
Purchase price for this property was $2.4 million. Stearns County received $1.1 million in state grants, from both the Environmental Trust Fund and the DNR Regional Grant Program. There is also a house on the property with considerable lakeshore, which significantly drove up the value.
“This is a rare opportunity to find such pristine property available for park use. We just acquired 265 acres, close to the metro, with ¾ of a mile of lake frontage and a mature maple and basswood forest that is on the Minnesota County Biological Survey for its remnant woods”, commented Commissioner Mark Sakry. “Commissioners have for quite some time supported purchasing park property in this area of the County. What a great opportunity.”
Only 1.6% of the entire land mass in Stearns County is on the Minnesota County Biological Survey of significant remnant natural communities, indicating the land uses over the years didn’t alter the natural landscape of the property; the trees that are there now were there before any settlement, probably 200 years ago.
Acquisition of this property by the County guarantees this land will be kept for public and recreational use; it’s required in the deed.
The park is closed to the public at this point, except to cross country skiers, until facility planning can occur and grant development funds are procured. Stearns County will be seeking funding for planning purposes, which they hope will take place in 2009.