Community Corner
Lake Elmo Park Reserve Had Record Attendance on the Fourth
The county engineer attributed the high numbers, in part, to the closure of state parks due to the government shutdown.
While state parks were closed on the Fourth of July due to the government shutdown, Washington County’s Lake Elmo Park Reserve had record attendance, said County Engineer Don Theisen.
More than 1,400 one-day passes were sold at Lake Elmo Park Reserve on July 4 and there was overflow parking over the weekend at all of the county’s parks, Theisen said. With two to three people in each car, Theisen estimates there were more than 5,000 people in the Lake Elmo park alone, he said at Tuesday’s Washington County Board meeting.
“How much of that increase was related to the shutdown of the state parks? I’m certain there was a small increase due to that,” he said. “Typically what drives our attendance at the parks, the No. 1 thing, is weather.”
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To provide an alternative to state parks for residents, Washington County Commissioner Lisa Weik suggested adding more free admission days at the county parks. Currently, you can enter the parks without a pass on the first Tuesday of each month. She also suggested letting cars with state park permits enter the county parks for free during the shutdown.
Theisen said he would look at bringing those suggestions back before the board for possible action.