North/east metro briefs: Ramsey County plans upgrades for Lake Owasso Park in Shoreview

Ramsey County is launching a series of public workshops as part of a $1.4 million face-lift for a suburban park it's describing bluntly as long ignored and begging for some love.

The 9-acre Lake Owasso County Park in Shoreview has seen "no renovation or design work" since it opened, officials say, and "many of the facilities show significant wear and tear and currently require excessive maintenance. As a result, park use has diminished substantially."

Construction is expected to begin in 2017 and finish by spring 2018.

Lake Owasso park does not meet disability access standards, has substandard plumbing and electrical systems, and lacks restrooms near picnic and playground areas, according to an assessment by parks officials.

"The picnic shelters lack running water and electricity, and the Lake Wabasso boat launch is inadequate for most boaters," officials say.

Public engagement will begin this month, with a first design workshop scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 25, at Lake Owasso County Park Shelter No. 2. The park is at 370 N. Owasso Blvd.

David Peterson

Members of the staff will be available to answer questions about the jail and programs for inmates. Also represented will be the county Workforce Center, with employment and training resources; the Public Health division, with resources for the WIC program, immunizations, child passenger safety, well child care/outreach and tobacco cessation; and Family Services, with housing information packets.

The Sheriff's Office also will collect expired and unwanted prescription and over-the-counter drugs at the event. Nearly 13 tons of medications have been collected and destroyed in the five years since the Sheriff's Office began its campaign.

Sheriff Bill Hutton has warned against the dangers of unsecured prescription drugs, which he said often are stolen and abused as "gateway" drugs that open the door to more addictive substances, such as heroin.

Kevin Giles

Roseville should build a new clubhouse at its nine-hole Cedarholm municipal golf course, an advisory commission is recommending.

Usage has dropped off drastically over the decades, the group found, but remains robust for a course like Cedarholm.

The commission recommends as possible funding sources:

• Park dedication funds, or fees charged when new development occurs;

• Leftover money from the city's Parks and Recreation Renewal Program, bonds issued in 2011 and 2012 to finance park improvements;

• Reserves in the city's golf course fund.

David Peterson

Ramsey County will host a free Fix-It Clinic from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27, at Arc's Value Village Thrift Store on St. Paul's East Side. Volunteer fixers will work with individuals to repair up to three broken items and teach valuable repair skills, all free of charge.

It's part of the county's continuing efforts to keep reusable items from winding up in the trash. Three out of every four items are successfully repaired on-site, reducing the number of objects that end up in landfills, officials say.

Individuals are welcome to bring items such as small household appliances, electronics and clothing to the clinics. Notable repairs have included vintage objects, such as fans and sewing machines, a plethora of eclectic lamps, and several electronics such as TVs, DVD players and tape decks.

Several fixers also can mend clothes in need of patchwork, hemming or tailoring.

Arc's Value Village Thrift Store is at 1650 White Bear Av. N.