City seeking grant so park can be used in times of high water

By John McLoone

Lake Rebecca Park in Hastings will grow by 14.3 acres thanks to a donation of adjacent land from Flint Hills Resources.

The parcel previously used as part of a barge fueling tank farm off of Lock and Dam Road. The city approached Flint Hills about two years ago to see if the firm would donate the property.

“Since that time, city staff and FHR staff have worked to bring this donation to reality,” said City Parks & Recreation Director Chris Jenkins.

The city is seeking a $2 million grant from the LegislativeCitizen Commission on Minnesota Resources, which makes funding recommendations to the state legislature on environmental preservation projects.

“This parcel would also be a part of habitat enhancement work proposed in Lake Rebecca Park through the LCCMR grant funding,” said Jenkins.

Jenkins said “no significant findings” were discovered during an environmental assessment of the property.

According to the city application for LCCMR funding, the project would be redevelopment and restoration of the Lake Rebecca Park Area.

“This park area sits between the Mississippi River to the north and west, and Lake Rebecca to the south and is targeted to remain as natural and open space for the community and visitors. Major issues observed include: consistent highwater events leave much of this park unusable for any type of recreation, boat launch parking lot for the lake unusable during high water events, and in poor condition, much of the park area is also very thick with brush inhibiting passive recreation/exploration in the area, lack of access, habitat types are also degraded, and would benefit from enhancement,” the application states. “This area needs an ecological master plan to be completed, as well as the investigative/research processes to gather current ecological information. Without this vision the area has an uncertain future. There are however some important elements/outcomes that are currently known, and those have been included in this proposal.”

The project would include raising and rebuilding the boat launch so it’s useable during high water events as well as identifying areas for “leisure recreation opportunities and raise those areas so they can be used during high water for years to come.”

In additional some brush and trees would be removed and walking and interpretive trails would be installed.

This Dakota County map shows the parcel of land being donated by Flint Hills Resources to the City of Hastings. The parcel will become part of Lake Rebecca Park. Photo courtesy of City of Hastings