Thank you
We were the canoeists involved in the river rescue two weeks ago. We would like to thank all of those involved in our rescue, including the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Department and the great dispatcher, the Montevideo Fire Department, Montevideo Police Department, the State Highway Patrol, the CCMH ambulance crews, and a great BIG thanks to DNR Conservation Officer Ed Picht and his dog, and fireman Lonnie Tostenson. It’s great to live in a community with all of the natural resources we have. It is even better to know that the human resources are there too when they are needed. We appreciate everything that you do.
—Daniel Jones
Cody Frey
Montevideo
We need your help!
A plan is being put forth by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that includes sweeping changes to Fort Ridgely State Park and historic site at a very high price tag.
As board members of the Friends of Fort Ridgely, a non-profit group dedicated to preserving and promoting Fort Ridgely, we vehemently oppose these changes.
The DNR proposes to move the park ranger station from its current location at the park entrance to the museum at the historic site on the far west end of the park. The plan is to take over and inhabit half of the museum building, the only remaining structure from the original fort. There will be no public parking next to the museum except for handicap. For any customer service the public must park by the picnic shelter parking lot and walk all the way across the ball diamonds and parade grounds. Imagine doing this when the temperature is 20 below zero.
This move carries a price tag in excess of $700,000. This is ludicrous!
The current location of the park station is where it is because it works. As people enter Fort Ridgely they must stop to purchase park stickers, camping fees, golf rentals and green fees, winter sliding tubes, building rentals, purchase souvenirs and other services. To move this station would create more confusion for the public, and wouldn’t it require more man-hours to continually keep checking the parking lots to verify all cars have a permit?
Moving into the historic site would detract from the historic aspect of the commissary building and the surrounding ruins. The Fort Ridgely Historic Site is one of the most important sites in the entire country. The story it tells should not be interfered with by the DNR.
