Sherburne County is in the process of completing its park, trail and active living plan that will help improve the health of its residents by creating more opportunities for activities and exercise. 

 

A 2014 community health assessment study showed Sherburne County had an adult obesity rate of 31%, which was higher than the state average of 27.6%.

 

Health studies show obesity is directly linked to  poor diet and a lack of activity. 

 

Two years ago, Sherburne County worked with Benton, Stearns and Wright counties to develop a regional active transportation plan that involves walking and biking corridors.

 

They used Statewide Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) funds to contract with Alta Planning and Design and Community Design Group to develop the plan, which was introduced last October at an open house at the Sherburne County History Center. That plan focused on major corridors for walking and biking that could be used to connect the four counties.

 

In December, Sherburne County hosted its own event at the Government Center to educate the public about county parks and gather input about what people felt were their top priorities for trails within the county.

 

An earlier survey about the county’s parks showed people felt walking, hiking, biking and exploring were their top priorities. And the survey showed people had a desire to not only use parks, but wanted trails to connect different sites in the county.

 

The survey also showed people felt there was a lack of opportunities within the county to take part in those activities.

 

The top sites on that list include the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge; Great Northern Trail; the three rivers - Elk River, Mississippi River and Rum River; Sand Dunes State Park; Grams Park; Woodland Trails Park; Bridgeview Park; Northstar Stations; the Oliver Kelley Farm and the Sherburne History Center.

 

County Engineer Rhonda Lewis says now the county is about to introduce its own plan. 

 

“We have contracted with Alta Planning and Design through a SHIP grant process,” says Lewis. “They are putting together a plan specifically for Sherburne County - where we want to develop our trails and what we can do with our parks.”

 

Sherburne County Director of Public Works John Menter says a committee was also formed, consisting of representatives from the cities and townships. They’ve been meeting since last August.

 

“This group got together and has been working on how to identify what’s important,” says Menter. “We’re looking at countywide connections. We’re also looking at what we can do to connect the communities and how we can have people access our parks without having to get into their cars.”

 

Some individual cities have already begun to work on trails within their jurisdiction. The Cities of Becker and Big Lake have applied for and received Safe Routes to School planning grants. Both cities have also applied for infrastructure grants.

 

“Big Lake is putting together a project this year to do sidewalks and trails inside city limits on Co. Rd. 5,” says Lewis. “It’s their goal to see it go all the way up to the Refuge. We have wide shoulders on Co. Rd. 5, so that’s conducive to what their goal is.”

 

In the past, some trails have been linked to road construction projects. Sometimes wider shoulders are designed for bike trails. Some counties have built separate paths along the roads.

 

Lewis says it’s doubtful the county will be doing anything significant with trails in 2016 because of the timing of the final plan.

 

“We’re already in the design mode for this year, so we wouldn’t have time to get that incorporated,” she says. “But next year if we’re working on a road that’s in a designated trail area, we can designate wider shoulders for that project.”

 

“If the county board wants to spend money to do that,” says Menter.

 

Funding has always been an issue when it comes to parks and trails. Taxpayers aren’t always on board when it comes to spending extra on road projects to add a trail. But there are state and federal grants, and some transportation funding set aside for alternative transportation projects.

 

Although SHIP was designed to improve the health of Minnesotans, that money is designated for programs, not construction.

 

“SHIP can’t provide funding for actual infrastructure development or engineering,” says Mandy Feeks, Community Health Coordinater with Health & Human Services.

 

“But aside from the actual engineering components, we work a lot with education and promoting and encouraging people to walk and bike. In schools we’re trying to implement walk/bike fun curriculum so kids know how to walk and bike safely. There’s so many different  things besides actually building trails.”

 

Feeks says she was just made aware of a new funding opportunity in the MN Dept. of Health  newsletter - a U.S. Bank/Viking Grant. 

 

“They’re designating $1 million towards places to play,” she says. “They’re asking communities to nominate either a playground or a park and trail for a project.”

 

Alta will be unveiling a draft of the county’s plan at a meeting Jan. 28, where the committee and interested parties can make comments. The final plan is scheduled to be released in February.

 

“Once we have the final plan, we’ll see how we can go about getting funding and start chipping away at getting these trails developed,” says Lewis.

 

“Sherburne County is in the infancy stage. Even though we have four parks and preliminary plans for trails, we’re really just starting out,” says Menter. “This is going to be the framework of how we want to move forward as a county.” 

 

Map shows proposed regional trail connections within Sherburne County.