Washington County parks officials are working to address disparities in who has access to outdoor spaces.

County officials recently introduced a program, called Connect, that is intended to make it easier for people of color to access county parks and recreation opportunities.

“We wanted to create a safe space for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) folks to recreate and meet other BIPOC pals and allies,” said Elena Schewe, the interim parks equity coordinator for Washington County Parks.

Connect is open to anyone who supports more BIPOC spaces and parks, Schewe said.

The events take place on “Free Tuesday” – the first non-holiday Tuesday of each month – when no vehicle permit is required to enter a county park.

Washington County Parks created the equity coordinator position in 2022 with a grant from the Metropolitan Council, and the position was approved as a permanent position for 2024, Schewe said.

Connect participants went on a group sunset hike last week at Lake Elmo Park Reserve. The next event is a group snowshoe at Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park, which will be held from 4:30-6 p.m. Feb. 6. Participants will meet at Ravine Landing; pre-registration is required.

For more information, or to pre-register for the Connect group snowshoeing event on Feb. 6, contact Schewe at 651-430-4333 or elena.schewe@co.washington.mn.us.

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