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Invitation to join friends of park

To the editor:
This letter is an invitation to join a new organization, ìFriends of Minnesota Interstate Park,î being formed to provide public support and guidance for Interstate State Park in Taylors Falls. An organizational meeting will be held on Thursday, Feb, 26, at 7 p.m. to no later than 8:30 p.m. at the Taylors Falls Community Center (behind the Conoco station) and we hope you will attend. We will take initial organizational steps, discuss visions for the organizationís goals and activities, and hear from Park Manager Larry Buchholz about the pending new management plan and other recent matters affecting the park.

Interstate State Park, our second oldest and one of our most visited state parks, is, as you know, a rare jewel and a major defining aspect of Taylors Falls and its environs. Many things are happening that will have an effect on the park and its use, including among others the growing metropolitan population and resulting development and demand for outdoor recreation, the extension of the Swedish Immigrant and other bicycle and hiking trails to Taylors Falls, and adoption and implementation of a new park management plan.
It is intended that the organization attract to its membership a wide spectrum of interested people with affection for the park, including residents of the surrounding community and elsewhere, and park users and representatives of park user groups. The organization will decide on its own goals and activities, but we envision that it will support and promote the park as the important part of the community that it is, provide suggestions for park improvements and uses, sponsor park events from time-to-time, be involved with volunteer activities in the park, and in many ways be similar to existing friends groups in the neighboring Wild River, William OíBrien and Wisconsin Interstate State Parks.

Bill Carlson, Gary Noren, Gary Parker, Mike Prichard, Dan Raedke, Wade Vitalis

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