Feb. 24—OLIVIA

—

Renville County

is considering the possibility of adding campsites, improving trails, and developing modern shower and bathroom facilities at its Skalbekken, Vicksburg and Beaver Falls county parks.

The

County Board of Commissioners

instructed Parks Director Jesse Diehn on Feb. 20 to develop cost estimates for making improvements to the parks. Diehn at their meeting showed the commissioners draft plans identifying possible opportunities to add camping sites in the three parks.

All three county parks are located along the Minnesota River.

Diehn said the proposal follows a tour and meeting at the parks with representatives of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The DNR is in the process of identifying replacement recreational opportunities required with the transfer of the 1,300-acre Upper Sioux Agency State Park to the Upper Sioux Community.

The state closed the park Feb. 16. The state park held a modern campground with shower facilities and 27 campsites and three adjacent backpack campsites along with a separate, 29-site equestrian campground. It had 18 miles of hiking and horse-riding trails.

The legislation calling for the land transfer allocated $5 million toward finding replacement recreational value. Another $5 million was allocated for the DNR to prepare the park for its transfer to the Upper Sioux Community, according to

information in the DNR’s legislative update

last week.

The lands for the Upper Sioux Agency State Park, created in 1963, were acquired with federal Lands, Water and Conservation Funds. The federal funding requires that if the lands are transferred from park usage, the recreational value they represent must be replaced.

Diehn said the DNR officials told him the process of identifying replacement opportunities is being done internally. He said they could not tell him how far along the process is.

Renville County Commissioner Greg Snow said that having plans “shovel ready” would likely improve the prospects for obtaining some of the replacement funding.

Fellow Commissioner David Hamre said the DNR has indicated it is seeking opportunities close to the parkland that is being transferred. In addition, he noted that Yellow Medicine County would be especially interested in replacement opportunities within its boundaries, since it is losing an operating state park.

Diehn said there are a number of potential areas within the three Renville County parks that could accommodate additional campsites.

Skalbekken Park, which is located just downstream of the former Upper Sioux Agency State Park, has two areas identified for the development of campsites. Up to 17 sites could be developed on a level area along County Road 10, while seven could be developed at a site near County Road 81.

Similar opportunities are identified for both Vicksburg and Beaver Falls parks. The proposed campsite expansions at these two parks are modeled after the campsites developed previously at the Birch Coulee County Park.

Commissioner Doug Erickson encouraged Diehn to obtain estimates for what it would cost to construct modern bathroom and shower facilities. Adding these modern amenities would greatly improve the appeal of these parks for camping, he pointed out.

While the expanded camping opportunities and modern amenities would be appreciated by many, Commissioner Hamre said he has also heard from some constituents who appreciate the rustic parks as they are.