Photo by Deb Gau On Wednesday, members of the public discussed ideas and priorities for outdoor recreation in the Granite Falls area, after the Upper Sioux Agency State Park lands are transferred back to the Upper Sioux Community.

GRANITE FALLS — This week, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources held a second public work session to talk about possibilities for outdoor recreation after the Upper Sioux Agency State Park lands are transferred back to the Upper Sioux Community. While members of the public shared ideas on how to use or enhance existing outdoor areas, some also wanted to know if the DNR was planning to create new state park land.

“You should have focused on (land) acquisition,” one commenter told DNR representatives.

At the work session, held Wednesday at the Kilowatt Community Center, DNR representatives asked for ideas and priorities for both near-term and long-term investment in outdoor recreation in the upper Minnesota River Valley.

The meeting was a chance “to really create some positive next steps,” said Laura Preus, statewide programs and planning manager for the DNR.

The DNR held public meetings this summer and fall as part of the process surrounding the transfer of the Upper Sioux Agency State Park lands. This spring, state lawmakers passed legislation directing the DNR to start the transfer process. The transfer legislation has several provisions, including that the DNR submit a report to the Legislature identifying possible barriers to the transfer; and an appropriation of $5 million to facilitate the land transfer.

At a public engagement session held in June, DNR representatives also explained that the state park will need to go through a federal process to remove its Land and Water Conservation Fund status, and reassign it to other land for public recreational use.

At a work session in August, members of the public had made suggestions for partnering with existing parks and trails in the region. Some of the ideas included enhancing river access in the area around Granite Falls, and expanding camping or trails at sites like Granite Falls’ Memorial Park, Timm County Park in Yellow Medicine County, and Skalbekken Park in Renville County.

At Wednesday’s work session, some members of the public said they were concerned that the focus seemed to be more on enhancing existing parks than on replacing the Upper Sioux Agency park lands. Others said the $5 million transfer allocation would be an “insignificant” amount of money to try and create a new park.

Some area residents did share suggestions on expanding resources like regional trails. Granite Falls resident Joe Hauger asked if it would be possible to open up existing public land for some recreational use. For example, he said, there could be special permits issued to visit Scientific and Natural Areas or Wildlife Management Areas at certain times of the year.

Scott DeMuth, of the Land Stewardship Project, said he thought there needed to be additional outreach to help build outdoor recreation opportunities in the area. Community organizing might help build funding and support for recreation projects, he said.

“It’s going to be up to us to figure out what we want to do next,” he said.

Preus said information on the state park transfer process will continue to be available online, at https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/upper-sioux-agency-state-park-land-transfer.html. The DNR will need to make its report to the state Legislature by Jan. 15.