(Arnolds Park)– Another public hearing regarding the boat ramp and campground at the Lake Minnewashta public area was held as part of Wednesday evening’s Arnolds Park City Council meeting.
City officials assured a standing room only crowd that it will remain a public area, consisting either as it currently is with some parking, a campground and a boat ramp; or perhaps doing away with the campground and turning it entirely into parking, or maybe some other combination of similar uses.
Several who spoke during the hearing, including this man, urged the city not to do away with the boat ramp…
“That is the only boat ramp on that side of Minnewashta and so I certainly would not want that boat ramp to be gone.”
Another man urged the city not to do away with the campground…
“I think it’s a good draw for our economy. It gives someone an affordable place to stay in Arnolds Park over the summer, or weekends and stuff. And I think there should be improvements and there should be limitations on the size of campers we allow in there.”
A neighbor expressed concern with safety with the current arrangement…
“It’s a little bit of a hazard with all the, when you’re trying to back things in and out. And again, when you walk uptown at night like when there’s a ballgame or concert, you’re pushing strollers out, especially when you come around that corner at the top and there’s cars parked all along the bike path. I don’t know if you don’t turn some of it into parking could you maybe just do parking on the opposite side of the street?”
The council took no action following the public hearing, but instead once again sent it back to the city’s Parks Board for a recommendation, similar to what was done following a public hearing on the same matter in February of this year.
