27-05-2025
Lawmaker sought replacement site for closed Minnesota state park
May 27---- Minnesota Sen. Gary Dahms explored the possibility of replacing the
with a new state park, but ran into challenges that he could not overcome.
Dahms, a Republican from
, told attendees at a town hall meeting in Granite Falls last week that he had a potential replacement site identified and landowners open to the possibility of selling land for a new state park.
The state senator said he identified a "beautiful, really nice site" that could be developed for use as a state park. Property owners on two sides of the site indicated they were willing to sell land for use as a state park. On a third side of the site, the land is already state-owned, according to Dahms.
The 1,300-acre state park was closed in February of 2024 and the land transferred to the
the following month.
The
is in the process of awarding funds from a $5 million allocation included in the transfer legislation. The DNR is entering joint powers agreements to provide allocations of $1.55 million each to Renville County, Yellow Medicine County and the city of Granite Falls for improvements to their parks.
Dahms said during the May 21 town hall that he had hoped to include a $20 million appropriation in the state bonding bill toward the acquisition of the land and development of structures for its use as a park. He said he wanted to put the funds in a trust for a five-year period, as it would take time to acquire the land and complete the work required for a new park.
He learned that state bond monies cannot be set aside in a trust fund. Bond funds can only be used if purchase agreements are in place and the design and engineering for new structures and infrastructure are completed.
Dahms said he informed the Department of Natural Resources about the possible replacement site. He said the DNR was initially excited about the possibility, but soon informed him there were a number of things that would not work out.
Dahms said he initially had hoped the DNR would move forward with a replacement park, but not so now.
"They told me how much they were looking," he said. But the senator said he now believes the DNR is instead looking to put the idea in the "rearview mirror."
Dahms also expressed his continued frustration with the process that led to the closure and transfer of the state park.
"That deal was so cut and dried and put to bed. It was all internal," he said.
He explained that some members of the Senate Environmental, Climate and Legacy Committee were not aware of the legislation prior to its first hearing before them during the 2023 legislative session.
At that time, Dahms said he received a call over the prior weekend from his Republican colleague State Sen. Andrew Lang, R-Olivia, who informed him of the upcoming hearing and the legislation for the transfer. Lang learned about the hearing after he had received a call from a news reporter inquiring about it.
Dahms said he spoke on the day of the hearing to representatives of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and
who told him it was also the first they knew of the transfer plans. Dahms said he believed some of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party majority leaders and governor were aware of the legislation in advance, but no Republicans knew about it.
The bill calling for the transfer was introduced by State Sen. Mary Kunesh, DFL-New Brighton, and approved during the 2023 legislative session. Dahms said the DFL senator had not informed him about the legislation, even though the state park property is in his district.
