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Old rival dominates Sabers
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Prior Lake pulls away in second half
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THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2012
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SPRING LAKE REGIONAL PARK
First phase - Spring Lake Regional Park
After 40 years, development to begin Shakopee gets dog park — in Prior Lake BY SHANNON FIECKE sfiecke@swpub.com
What the city of Shakopee could not accomplish, Scott County is. An off-leash dog park — long desired by Shakopee residents — will be constructed this summer in the first phase of development at Spring Lake Regional Park, which is located near the southernmost city border across from Mystic Lake Casino. Although it may be a bit shorter drive for some dog owners to Staring
Lake Park in Eden Prairie, Spring Lake will be the closest off-leash dog area for much of Shakopee. It will also be the closest dog park to the city border. An open house will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Prior Lake City Hall for the public to review park development plans, which are 40 years in coming.
DECADES OF WAITING Since the late 1960s, Scott County has held land between Upper Prior Lake and Spring Lake for a future regional park. Other than old foot paths and modern trails grazed by a snowmobile club, the land has remained fallow and largely unused by the public. Purchased to provide habitat, pro-
tect natural resources and enhance outdoor recreational opportunities, the development of Spring Lake Regional Park has waited as future county boards focused on acquiring park land first throughout the county. Now, six years after a master plan was created to guide development of the park, the county finally has the dollars to allow general public use, thanks to state Legacy constitutional amendment funds. “This is finally happening after 40 years,” said Scott County Parks Manager Mark Themig. This summer, the county plans to construct the first phase of the park: a 3-mile paved trail network, off-leash dog area and parking/restrooms. It
will also undertake natural resource restoration activities, like buckthorn removal. In addition, County Road 81/Howard Lake Road will be removed from County Road 12 north but remain in place from County Road 82 to serve residents on the northwest side of the park and access a parking area within the park. The estimated cost for initial development is $1.3 million, which includes design, construction and administration. Residents are invited to review the plans and provide feedback at tonight’s open house at Prior Lake City Hall,
Park to A8 ®
Farewell Judy Cox
Parking Dog park Removal of existing Co. Rd. 81
N Graphic by Lorris Thornton
First Avenue. The building, however, lacks parking and the landlord is in a dispute with former tenant, Scott County, regarding mold, according information provided by Whitbeck. Yarusso’s is also not interested in financing the necessary build-out. Lease terms between the buildings are relatively competitive, Whitbeck said. However, with Shakopee Town Square’s willingness to finance the construction build-out in the lease agreement and its set fixed renewal rates, it became the most attractive
Software engineer Suresh Nair, an India native, was blazing new ground when made a run for City Council last year, and he hoped to pave the way for other immigrants to get more involved. Although Nair was unsuccessful in his bid for elective office, he is helping bridge the gap he talked about. Nair has started a growing Asian Community in Shakopee Facebook group, where he posts city news, and last week was appointed to the city’s Telecommunications Advisory Commission. Shakopee Mayor Brad Tabke hopes to see more Suresh Nairs. Along with the city’s 80 percent growth last decade, its percentage of people of color tripled. Today, one in every four Shakopee residents is nonwhite (nonHispanic). But these minority groups aren’t participating in the same numbers. “We need to get that segment of the population involved,” Tabke commented during last week’s City Council meeting, noting the small number of minority applicants for advisory panels. To that end, the city of Shakopee is partnering with the Shakopee School District to put on its first-ever diversity summit March 22 at City Hall. The idea stems from a letter Shakopee Public Schools Cultural Liaison Mary Hernandez sent Tabke when she read an article in which both mayoral candidates talked about the minority
ALC to A7 ®
Diversity to A10 ®
T
PHOTO BY SHANNON FIECKE/REPRINTS AT PHOTOS.SHAKOPEENEWS.COM
Although the official keeper of city records, Judy Cox’s favorite part of the job was assisting the public. Commissioners during the 1970s. Cox, who attended high school in Shakopee, applied years later for a full-time position with the
city when it had a municipal court. That job went to someone else, but the city administrator brought Cox on part-time to do light office work.
At that time, City Hall had a staff of four. Now Cox counts 30 heads.
Cox to A8 ®
Mall may house school district’s ALC If all ends well, Shakopee’s new alternative learning center might have a home on the city’s western edge. The Shakopee School Board gave administrators the go-ahead to begin negotiations with the Minnesota School of Business for approximately 12,000 square feet of leased space at Shakopee Town Square. The space, which includes the back portion of the soon-to-be vacated JoAnn Fabrics, could hold approximately 100 students, Scott McQueen of Wold Architects told the
CITY PARK
BY SHANNON FIECKE sfiecke@swpub.com
BY SHANNON FIECKE sfiecke@swpub.com
BY KRISTIN HOLTZ kholtz@swpub.com
Park trail
City plans first-ever diversity summit
After 41 years, the longest-serving city employee will retire here’s a good chance if you’ve done business with the city of Shakopee in the past 41 years, you’ve met City Clerk Judy Cox. Cox, who came to work for the city during the age of typewriters and carbon copies, leaves as the city has computerized its records. She leaves beyond a wealth of knowledge as the city’s longestserving employee. “The city is losing somebody who knows her way through just about everything in the city,” said former Shakopee Mayor John Schmitt, whose dealings with Cox went back to his time on the Planning
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School Board Monday. It would include two classrooms, two computer labs, an art/multipurpose r o om, of f ic e a nd common area. Shakopee Town Squ a re of fers a n abundance of parking, as well as a sepRod arate side entrance, Thompson room for expansion and a professional management team, according to Corey Whitbeck of TaTonka Real Estate Advisors, who has been representing the district
in its talks. It also provides the opportunity for partnership with the Minnesota School of Business and is just down the corridor from Minnesota River Valley Special Education Cooperative’s Transitions program. “We’re very excited about the possibility of that happening,” Minnesota School of Business Campus Director Bruce Christman said Tuesday. “It makes sense because we have similar missions... I think it would be a great fit.” The School Board had also been looking at the similar-sized, former Yarusso’s Hardware building on
INSIDE OPINION/A4 OBITUARIES/A6 HAPPENINGS/A9 CALENDAR/A11 SPORTS/B1-2 CLASSIFIEDS/B9-11 TO REACH US SUBSCRIBE: (952) 345-6682 EDITOR: (952) 345-6680 OR E-MAIL EDITOR@SHAKOPEENEWS.COM.
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