Parks Offer Something For Everyone
By Ivan Raconteur
Staff Writer
Not many cities of Lester Prairie’s size have a nature park in their own backyard, and this is one thing that makes the city special. Visitors to Sunrise Nature Park on the city’s east side will have an opportunity to experience the type of native landscape that gave the city its name.
The park includes 50 acres of woods and grassland on property purchased with a grant from the DNR.
The park is being developed in stages, and visitors now have access to all areas of the park, as the result of improvements that were made during 2007.
Park Board Member Bob Messer prepared the original design for the park, and coordinated the installation of a bridge and boardwalks to provide easy access to the park on the north side of East Park Estates.
The park offers an opportunity for visitors to observe a wide variety of plants and wildlife.
Within the park’s borders, botanists from the University of Minnesota identified plants that do not typically grow in Minnesota, and the grant requires that these plants be preserved.
The city received additional grant money that allowed it to seed 10.5 acres on the park’s south side with wildflowers and prairie grass.
Among the plants in the park are goldenrod, prairie coreopsis, coneflowers, iris, sunflowers, prairie rose, butterfly weed, black and brown-eyed susans.
The park also includes a variety of prairie grass, such as Indian grass, switch grass, bluestem, Canada wild rye and wheatgrass.
The park is home to a variety of wildlife.
Public works employee Greg Mueller has observed deer and wild turkey in the park.
The long-range plan for the park includes the development of additional features, including a butterfly habitat, bird habitat, walking paths, observation areas, a shelter, and picnic areas.
During 2007, Messer and other volunteers, including Troy Feltmann and Larry Roth, installed the 27-foot-long bridge and 180 linear feet of boardwalks, nearly completing the park’s trail system.
Girl Scout Troop 446, Studio 2B cleared brush from some of the trails, and purchased and installed the park’s first park bench as part of a service project.
Other improvements during 2007 included the excavation of sediment and vegetation from one of the park’s two creeks, which improved upland drainage and provided additional open-water habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife.
Park regulation signs were installed at trail entrances and along the southern border of the park.
Additional signs will be installed in the future, including boundary signs, trail signs, and detailed interpretative signs to guide visitors through the park and identify points of interest. Trail maps will eventually be available at trail entrances.
The park has been designated an official wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. In order to be certified, a property must provide the four elements that all wildlife need: food, water, cover, and places to raise young. It must also employ sustainable gardening practices.
Sunrise Nature Park is open to the public, but no motorized vehicles are allowed in the park.
Future plans include the installation of a variety of indigenous evergreen trees to begin the process of creating habitats that do not currently exist in the park.
Additional park benches and trash receptacles will be added throughout the park and at trail entrances, and a picnic area will be created on Prairie Hill, near the center of the park.
A Sunrise Nature Park committee is being formed to research and coordinate educational programs for school and community groups.
Additional trail development and improvements will continue during the next several years.
For more information, or to help with Sunrise Nature Park, contact Bob Messer by e-mail at: bob@lrsuburbanlandscaping.com.
Lester Prairie City Park
Lester Prairie City Park, located on the south side of Second Avenue South near Pine Street South, offers a wide variety of recreational opportunities, and is the scene of many community events.
For fun in the sun, the park features a heated outdoor pool staffed by certified lifeguards. The pool complex also includes two slides, a diving board and other equipment, and a kiddie pool.
Concessions are available, and those wishing to improve their skills can sign up for American Red Cross swimming lessons.
Swimmers can pay at the gate or use tokens that can be purchased in advance. Family passes are also available.
The pool is open June through August.
The pool can be rented for private parties outside of regular pool hours. Pool rent includes lifeguards.
Other facilities in the park include two tennis courts, horseshoe pits, a basketball court, and a sand volleyball court.
There is one baseball field and one lighted softball/football field, and two little league fields. A batting tunnel is also available.
The park also features an assortment of playground equipment, as well as grills and restroom facilities.
The two shelters in the park can be reserved through the city offices.
Central Park
There has been much discussion in recent years about developing the city’s downtown park, located at the intersection of Central Avenue and Juniper Street.
Supporters say improving this park will do much to improve the appearance of the city’s downtown business district.
A committee was formed in 2006 to study the issue. As a result, the old bandstand was removed from the property because it was found to be beyond repair.
The committee has put together a plan that includes installation of a new gazebo, walkways, benches, lighting, and landscaping.
The plan for the park also includes an area that could be used for a Legion memorial.
The Lester Prairie Business Association has proposed the installation of an electronic programmable sign to be located in the park to promote community events.
The city council has allocated some funds to be used for the park, but no specific plan or expenditure had been formally approved at the time this publication went to press.
