Below is a contribution from GMPT Member Wright County. For more information, please visit wrightcountymn.gov.

On May 16, Wright County Parks & Recreation celebrated 30 years of Outdoor and Environmental Education at Robert Ney Regional Park’s Nature Center in Maple Lake. The park’s founding began humbly, starting with a generous donation from Albert and Elsie Ney in 1970 as a memorial to their son Robert, who was killed in action during the Invasion of Attu in World War II. Wright County worked diligently over the years to develop the park and its trails, which led to the construction of the Nature Center, which opened on May 16, 1996.

The department reached out to programming partners, both past and present, to be a part of this exciting celebration. The event was held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and was free of charge. Scheduled shows included the Raptor Center, Tricia and Toonsies puppet show, and fireside chats with one of the departments own Natural Resource Techs, Kurt Eich, who helped construct the Nature Center and was in charge of developing and hosting some of the first programs at the facility. Kurt is still with the department today and continues to assist with programs at the Nature Center throughout the year. With scavenger hunts, food trucks, crafts, and shows, the day was bound to be full of fun. In the months, weeks, and days prior to the event, the Parks & Recreation Department flooded its website, social media, and local media with information—even grabbing the attention of KARE 11! That morning, KARE 11 had a crew on-site doing live interviews with staff (Click here to watch the full interview). All in all, it was a great day with 200 people coming out for the event and sharing their memories and experiences with us. We would like to thank everyone again who has been part of Robert Ney Regional Park and the Nature Center over the years and who will be part of our future as well.