WALHALLA, N.D. — Pembina Gorge State Park is expected to open this summer, 10 years after its inception in a master plan created by the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department. Construction began this week, said Rendezvous Region Tourism Council President Angelle French, though recent rain impeded some of the work.
The construction follows last week’s groundbreaking. French served as one of the speakers, along with North Dakota Parks and Recreation Director Cody Schulz, Governor’s Office Chief of Staff Jace Beehler and local youths Eva Robinson and Max Mostad. Approximately 100 people attended.
“We had a great turnout,” French said.
The work being done now will result in a 55-unit campground, with 50 modern camp sites, five primitive sites, up to six cabins, underground utilities, roads, a maintenance shop and a comfort station. At present, the campground is an empty field in Pembina Gorge State Recreation Area, a 2,800-acre expanse of nature with a multitude of activities, history and space for visitors to explore. Getting to the point of creating the state park has had its difficulties, namely in acquiring funding, French said.
During the last legislative session, North Dakota Parks and Recreation included $8 million in its budget for construction of the park campgrounds. It also was in Gov. Doug Burgum’s budget recommendations.
ADVERTISEMENT
The funding didn’t make it through Senate Appropriations, which in turn resulted in an emailing campaign to legislators in the House Appropriations Committee and local lawmakers. The campaign worked, resulting in $6 million in state funding and $2 million from the department’s federal funds.
“We are very lucky in North Dakota to have such direct access to our legislators,” French said.
The effort isn’t over yet, she said. The state park is the first of 23 recommendations made by the Parks and Recreation Department’s Pembina Gorge State Recreation Area Master Plan from 2014.
French hopes to move forward with the plan and also wants others to know about it.
The second recommendation is for a visitor center, which would include amenities like an interpretive geological area and fossil dig for children, with more information about paleontology in the gorge.
“It’s so awesome what they want to develop,” French said.
Other recommendations include wildlife observation sites, scenic driving routes, picnic sites and new and improved snowmobile trails. The need for funding makes fulfilling the plan difficult, French said.
“You kind of have to fight for what you want. What we deserve ... is to have this area become a beautiful state park,” she said.
ADVERTISEMENT
The full 159-page plan is available at https://www.parkrec.nd.gov/business/sites/www/files/documents/Projects/pembina_gorge_master_plan.pdf .
Otto is the region reporter for the Grand Forks Herald.
"gorged" - Google News
June 15, 2024 at 01:02AM
https://ift.tt/uPSEgHw
Under construction 10 years after its inception, Pembina Gorge State Park expected to open this summer - Grand Forks Herald
"gorged" - Google News
https://ift.tt/NLpK1xc
https://ift.tt/CsUFMia
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Under construction 10 years after its inception, Pembina Gorge State Park expected to open this summer - Grand Forks Herald"
Post a Comment