by Dennis Dalman
news@thenewsleaders.com
Sartell is planning to improve Morningstar Neighborhood Park, and it needs residents’ help to do that.
Residents, especially those who live in the Morningstar area, are being requested to fill out an online survey before Tuesday, March 13. The seven-question survey takes only a couple of minutes to complete. The results of the survey will be tabulated, summarized and presented at a meeting in the Morningstar neighborhood at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 22. Residents there will be notified by letter of the meeting.
To take the survey, go to the city’s website at www.sartellmn.com, then scroll down to “Sartell City News” and right under that heading is one that says “Neighborhood Park Survey.” Click where it says “here” in the paragraph.
After the survey deadline, March, 13, the Sartell Park Commission will discuss the survey’s responses at its March 27 meeting. The commission meets every other month.
At the Morningstar meeting, there will be personnel from several of Sartell’s city departments because park planning often involves a variety of aspects, such as public works, safety issues, budgeting and the planning department.
Sartell City Planner Nate Keller said the Morningstar survey is just the latest in surveys pertaining to the 37 Sartell parks. The parks vary greatly in size and amenities. Keller said the city is always seeking to make improvements with input from residents. The people in Sartell, he said, highly value their parks and other green spaces, as so many surveys have indicated.
Last year, the city did surveys for Meadowlake and Sabre Oaks parks.
“We had really good turn-outs when we met with neighbors who live near those two parks,” Keller said.
Morningstar
Morningstar Park is a small park, under an acre, Keller noted. It is just off of 15th Street North, east of Celebration Lutheran Church.
The park currently has a playground on one side with a couple of benches and a covered picnic table. The other half of the park is basically an open green space.
Keller said he is eager to hear from residents there. Sometimes, he noted, residents are happy with some very basic improvements, such as an asphalt pathway that was installed in Meadowlake Park upon residents’ requests.
The survey
The Morningstar survey asked questions about age group, frequency of visits to the park, reasons that keep some people from visiting the park and what residents would consider their top three priorities, which can be chosen from a list or suggested under “Other.”
Questions?
Questions can be addressed to Nate Keller, city planner, at nate.keller@sartellmn.com or at 320-258-7316.
Sartell City Planner Nate Keller
