A beloved but decrepit pair of floating boardwalks in a Mankato park near downtown could be in line for renovations if a state recreation grant comes through.
Each of the floating sections of trail in the Rasmussen Woods rises and falls with water levels in marshy sections of the park on the southwestern edge of the city. They sit on the ground when the park dries out during droughts, and the wear and tear brought on by the changing water levels has made the boardwalks a maintenance headache, city staff reported to the City Council this month.
"They're heavily populated compared to most of the trails around Mankato," said City Council member Mark Frost.
The more popular of the two floating trails connects to the Red Jacket bike trail. It could be replaced with a raised trail on piers, which wouldn't require as much maintenance. The city has applied for a state grant of $187,500, about half the estimated cost of installing the raised trail, from the Department of Natural Resources' Outdoor Recreation Grant Program. The program provides grants up to $300,000 from state and federal funds and requires a 50% match of cash, labor or equipment from local authorities. Construction would take place in 2023.
A second section of floating trail in the northeast part of the park near Stoltzman Road is under evaluation, according to city manager Susan Arntz. "Because it goes over a larger area of open water, the helical piling that we're planning to use on the other section is not as easy to use," she said. The city is considering its options for that section of floating trail for now.
The work will go forward in 2023 if the city wins the state funding.
The Rasmussen Woods trails are considered a moderate challenge for hikers. The trail takes visitors past grassland meadows, wetlands and a hardwood forest comprised of red oak, sugar maple, basswood, bitternut hickory, green ash, burr oak, ironwood, cottonwood, and Kentucky coffee trees.
A plan to repair the floating path has long been in place, going back to a 2010 city report. Citing the constant need for repair of the more heavily used path, the report recommended raising it onto piers.