A partnership for parks

Funding for parks and trails can be hard to come by even in the best of times, let alone in the current climate where budgets are being scrutinized.

Recognizing that bigger entities are more likely to gain access to funding than individual municipalities, Baldwin has joined with area communities to create a regional parks board that will help maintain a cohesive vision for parks and trails in the greater Princeton area.

The Rum River Resource and Recreation Board currently consists of representatives from the towns of Baldwin, Greenbush, Princeton and Livonia as well as the City of Princeton and the Princeton School District.

In addition to opening up new funding opportunities, the group will work to create and maintain a unified parks and trails system that can work synergistically to support the region's economic and environmental health, while drawing visitors to its outdoor spaces.

The group grew out of a grass-roots effort spurred by citizen interest and funding from the non-profit 1,000 Friends of Minnesota, which is working to help Minnesota communities maintain a balance between rural and urban areas in their development.

Baldwin's representative, Jim Oliver, meets with the group monthly to discuss topics such as a planned bike trail along the old railway corridor throughout the area.

This summer the board will be developing a plan for regional parks, trails and open spaces.

This is just one area in which these communities can work together to create a shared resource. What others are out there?

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