Washington County will receive $707,013 from the Metropolitan Council to help pay for 33.5 acres in Lake Elmo that will be added to the Lake Elmo Park Reserve.
In July, the County Board approved acquiring the property at 10112 10th St. N. The total purchase price was $942,684, including recording fees and taxes.
The Metropolitan Council grant partly reimburses the county's Land and Water Legacy money used to buy the land for the park reserve.
The land, which was mostly used for farming, is on the northeast corner of the intersection leading into the county park entrance. A house near the intersection will remain private property, but an adjacent empty farmhouse and outbuildings on the land were included in the purchase.
The Lake Elmo park, covering about 2,000 acres, is the county's largest. It includes an artificial swim pond and picnic area that draws capacity crowds on summer weekends, and a lighted skiing trail for winter nights.
Kevin Giles
Elk River area
Construction to begin on schools
Crews will begin working in the next two years on construction projects for elementary, middle and high schools to "address long-term population growth needs in the district," according to a news release from the construction company.
Stahl Construction is managing four construction projects for the Elk River Area school district to build several additions to the elementary, middle and high schools and a new school in Otsego.
Zimmerman middle and high schools will get an auditorium, science lab and wood shop additions, and Zimmerman Elementary School will have an early childhood addition. Elk River High School will get multiple gymnasiums and an additional special education classroom.
"It's great to see shovels hitting the ground on some of these very important projects that will, for a fact, shape our district's future," said Superintendent Mark Bezek.
KAREN ZAMORA
Woodbury
Blood donors can register online
The city of Woodbury will sponsor a blood drive from noon to 6 p.m. Dec. 4 at City Hall. The blood bus will be parked in front of City Hall, 8301 Valley Creek Road, with the registration table in the foyer.
Donors hoping to save time can use the RapidPass feature, which allows them to complete the pre-donation health history questionnaire online, on the day of donation. For more information, visit the RapidPass page of the Red Cross' website.
