St. Croix needs a new MN public access

Here’s something positive we might be able to do for the St. Croix. The Lakeland Beach has been closed since asbestos was illegally dumped on it, allegedly by its neighbor. The city still has not opened it back up for swimming, and rumor has it that the beach’s neighbors and alleged asbestos-dumpers are now trying to buy it! Nice deal if you can swing it…

Now, if the city of Lakeland isn’t interested in opening it again due to liability concerns (or whatever reason), then perhaps it should be deeded to the DNR for that long-promised public boat launch on the Croix. In the late 80s or early 90s, the quasi-public launch on NSP property in Oak Park Heights was closed. At that time, the DNR was negotiating with Stillwater for a piece of land near the sewage treatment plant to use as a public launch. That deal fell through, thanks to Stillwater’s greed, and that public launch never was replaced.

The Lakeland Beach would be an excellent location for several reasons: it’s already public property; it’s in a no-wake zone; fuel and supplies are available across the channel in Hudson and below the bridge at Beanies; it’s at the end of a dead-end road; it would take some pressure off the heavy traffic at Beanie’s.

So how about it? I say get those calls and emails in to the DNR and start campaigning for this. It really is a golden opportunity, and the last thing we need to see happen is yet another public access go into private hands.

WOW! That would be interesting!

I don’t know a lot about the DNR or the negotiation process to get a public launch but it sounds worth looking into! What are your thoughts? Free public launch or pay public launch? I’m curious to the impact it might have on Beanies? Also, with the channel being right there, there’s not a lot of room during the high traffic times for negotiating launch/landings and cruiser traffic. Don’t get me wrong, I like the idea, I’m just curious to your vision and it’s detail. Could be extremely useful for winter access!

I hope you’re talking about winter boat access! I’ve been down there once with my truck and don’t pay attention when fishing, is there enough room for parking there? Personally I think the houses that are flooded out (almost) every year should be bought out and those areas made into parks and free boat launch. Then it could flood and know one would care.

Don’t forget about 2 prime spots in Stillwater.
I believe the leases are up on the Aiple Barge property between Sunnyside and the bait shop as well as the fertilizer plant directly across from Brothers bait in Stillwater. That spot gets flooded every couple years but who would care if it was just a parking lot for a launch? It looks like there is plenty of room for rigs and the building is just an eyesore the way it’s falling down now. I’ll check into the status and reply back.

Ferny.