WADENA — A new park with a boardwalk and nature trail may be on the horizon for Wadena residents.
During the Wadena City Council meeting on Tuesday, March 14, the council approved applying for a matching grant with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to create a nature trail in a new park on the east side of town called Folkestad Park. The land where the park is to be located was donated by Roger and Marie Folkestad.
The park would abut residential lots, as well as lots that have been parceled for residential development.
The city’s park board has worked with the public works director and more to develop a plan for Folkestad Park, including a nature trail that is about a mile long. The trail would go around the perimeter of the residential lots and include about 1,600 feet of boardwalk to extend over marshy areas.
The overall project cost was roughly estimated to be around $72,000. During the meeting it was emphasized the estimates needed to be reviewed, as they were given “off the cuff” and may not reflect actual costs.
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A 50/50 match grant from the DNR is being sought. The Folkestad’s donated $10,000 to assist in costs associated with the park’s development, and the council was informed that an additional $13,000 had been secured for the project, so far.
In the documents presented to the city council regarding the walking path, it was noted that “no cash investment is requested from the city,” but “in-kind assistance from the Public Works Department may be requested when it works in their schedule.”
Lillian Norman, a lead for Minnesota Fellow with the Wadena Development Authority, said the grant application is due March 31. She explained there is no financial obligation incurred by the city by applying for the grant. If the city were selected for the grant, it would only get the match of the amount raised – it will not be on the hook for raising half if the price of the project increases.
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