Legacy Park

Legacy Park seems to have peaked a lot of interest lately. This is a roughly 24 acre parcel of land we negotiated to receive from a bank that took over a failed development. The cost of the trail will be paid for entirely by the Park and Recreation fund which receives it funding for parks from each area the parks are developed in. This is not taxpayer funded but a fee on development specified by state law.

This is not a play park but a system of ADA compliant trails that offer something unique in our community. The question of maintenance cost was raised. Trails will consist of wood chips and gravel surfaces with a culvert by the creek. The cost estimate is in the range of several hundred dollars a year.

The entire current Council voted to spend thousands of dollars a year to fund maintenance cost for the Cambridge Isanti Bike Walk tail. The plans and engineering for Legacy Park were approved by a 5-0 vote including Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Lundeen just a few months ago. They voted to spend thousands on that as well.  They approved tens of thousands of dollars for park planning and engineering and maintenance and yet seem afraid of several hundred dollars of possible City employee labor time cutting weeds.

To put this in perspective, each time we have to replace a Clifford rocker it cost us roughly $2,000 and about $1,200 to $1,500 for non-Clifford ones. so one little apparatus for a specific age group cost us at least 4 times the annual maintenance budget for and entire park that all age groups and ability levels will be able to use.

The other complaint put forward was this will drain the fund to 0. True but only true because we took over $130,000 of interest income out of the fund last year to help offset the reduction in city property values allowing us to keep city taxes low. I repeatedly asked what else they intend to spend the money on the only answer given was to build another park somewhere else. Well we do not need any more high cost high maintenance play parks in Isanti.

Reasons for approval are:

1. Legacy Park is paid for by the donation of land along the Rum River that can never be developed due to its location. 
2. The funding comes out of the Park and Recreation Fund that by state law is funded by developers and can only be used for new land and equipment purchases.
3. The maintenance cost will be minimal compared to its value
4. It will serve all ages and all ability levels. 
5. It has been in the long term Comprehensive Park Plan for years. 
6. It was recommended by the Park and Recreation Board on a 5-0 vote. 
7. This Council voted 5-0 to spend significant funds on its design and development. 

I hope the grasping of political power will not derail all the hard work by the public and staff on this trememndous community asset. I make my opinions based on the facts as I know them and backing it up in public and in writing. I do not scurry around like rats whispering behind others backs. Good honest people can disagree and that is wonderful - but doing so without the facts and only to say no with no other intention than to obstruct is wrong.