Member Highlight: Quarry Park Maintenance & Erosion Control project update

Below is a contribution from GMPT Member Stearns County. For more information, please visit stearnscountymn.gov/238/Parks.

Quarry Park & Nature Preserve Project

Quarry Park and Nature Preserve is Stearns County’s most popular park, with over 130,000 visitors each year. Over the years, the increase in visitors to Quarry Park has caused areas around Quarry 2 to erode. This erosion encroachment of the large granite rock pile on the southeast side of Quarry 2 will cause an increase in safety concerns if not managed within the next few years.

After some extensive brainstorming, the Stearns County Parks Department determined that the most cost-effective way identified is to use heavy machinery to remove and relocate approximately 1000 cubic yards of discarded granite blocks to gain access to Quarry 2’s bank and slope for repairs. The eroding bank will be shallowed, a retaining wall will be constructed using the discarded granite blocks, and the walking trail will be widened. 

Although this is the Stearns County Parks Department plan, an Engineer Plan is required before a “Request for Quote” can be submitted. Being in the center of Granite Country, the Stearns County Parks Department is excited to receive the grant contract, put the project out for advertisement, move forward with an Engineer Plan, and contract the project out to repair Quarry 2. The Park Maintenance Staff will remove trees before the relocation of the granite blocks and will create the trail that will wrap around the southeast side of Quarry 2.

Kraemer Lake-Wildwood Project

Kraemer Lake-Wildwood County Park is predominately an old-growth sugar maple forest located in St. Joseph, MN. The 265-acre park has an estimated 5-mile trail system, but the only amenities within the park are a trailhead, restroom, and picnic table. The Phase 1 Development includes enhanced entry to the park using Kipper Road, a parking lot, and a turnaround, plus light fixtures, picnic areas and shelters, restrooms, a fishing pier, a nature-based playground, a non-motorized boat launch, and paved trail access to amenities.

The Stearns County Parks Department has a good amount of historical information and photos of the property since the early 1900s. Still, due to the nature of the disturbance area (proposed parking lot), it is recommended that a Phase 1 archaeological survey be completed. The Phase 1 archaeological survey was a bit of a surprise in terms of the process and cost, but it must be completed before the grant contract can be received.