Minnesota briefs: Commission selects parks, trails for Legacy grants

More than a third of greater Minnesota's 62 regional parks and trails are in the running for just under $10 million in Legacy Grant funds this year.

"We were able to recommend nine grants from the application pool of 22," said Renee Mattson, executive director of the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission.

Commissioners represent six districts outside the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. The districts are designed so that their populations are about equal.

The commission reviews potential projects and makes funding recommendations to the Legislature, which so far has followed them.

This year, the commission is recommending grants totaling $9,984,067 to the following projects:

• Olmsted County Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo, $2,135,000 to build a nature center.

• Otter Tail County Perham to Pelican Rapids Regional Trail, $1,878,820 for work on the Silent Lake segment.

• Le Sueur County Lake Washington Park, $983,511 for park and trail development.

• Douglas County Lake Brophy Park, $930,746 for work on the Lake Brophy building.

• Sandstone's Robinson Park, $902,654 for work on recreational development.

• St. Cloud Beaver Island Trail, $900,000 for work on Beaver Island Regional Trail construction and restoration.

• Cannon Valley Trail, along the Cannon River in southeast Minnesota, $503,100 for work on bridge replacement.

Dan Browning

The city of St. Cloud won a first-place award for midsize global cities in last month's LivCom Awards in Rome.

Mayor Dave Kleis and Ryan Daniel, CEO of St. Cloud Metro Bus, traveled to the international competition that focuses on best practices in management of the local quality of city life.

More than 100 cities around the world attended the competition. St. Cloud was one of 21 cities selected as a finalist.

Judges cited St. Cloud for its focus on landscape and public spaces, its arts, culture and heritage management, and its community participation and empowerment.