Stearns County Receives $1 Million Grant to Extend Lake Wobegon Trail

ST. CLOUD - The Stearns County Parks Department has received a $1-million Parks and Trails Legacy Program grant for extension of the Lake Wobegon Trail from St. Joseph to Waite Park.

This is the largest grant ever received by the Stearns County Parks Department. It's also the first time Stearns County has received a grant to restore a trail.

The grant will fund purchasing of the trail corridor, completion of engineering plans and construction of a portion of the trail located in River's Edge Park. The additional 3.2 miles would make the trail over 57 miles long, and connect it to the most populous area of the County.

The Parks Department also received a $25,000 grant to restore a portion of the existing Lake Wobegon Trail. This grant will pay for resurfacing segments of the trail from Albany to Morrison County.

Funding for this Legacy grant program is from the Parks and Trails Fund created by the Minnesota Legislature from the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. Plans are to purchase the land this year and finish construction in Waite Park in 2015.

Citizens can make a donation online towards the project online. A local anonymous citizen is matching contributions up to $5,000.