By Lori Carlson, Editor 

Students at St. Michael’s School could soon have access to a fitness facility in the great outdoors.

School and city leaders are planning a nature area and trail on city property south of the school and just west of Albany Avenue and Cates Street.

The city acquired the property about nine years ago through tax forfeiture and has since built a storm water pond. St. Mike’s students already use the area for interpretive and recreational uses.

A group including Eagle Scout students, volunteers and the school’s building and grounds committee has proposed a woodchip trail, benches, bird feeders, an observation pier and four outdoor fitness stations.

The stations would have signs for recommended exercises and possible equipment such as a chin-up bar.

The grounds would be maintained by the school. When school is not in session, junior naturalists in third through eighth grades would be responsible for visiting the site and making sure it’s maintained, including filling bird feeders.

The city’s liability insurance would cover the property, said Danette Walthers-Moore, community development and natural resources director.

Walthers-Moore said she hopes the improvements will “provide more visibility” at the site and discourage practices she’s seen in the past on the property, such as dumping landscape materials and concrete.

The improvements would be paid for, constructed and maintained by St. Mike’s, which recently has gotten grants to help pay for the project. City staff would conduct regular safety inspections of the site and the observation pier, Walthers-Moore said. She added that, over time, the city could become fully responsible for maintenance of the site, particularly if the school ends up not having the resources to continue maintaining it.

City and school officials will continue to discuss the plan and bring the proposal back to the City Council at a later date.

 Lori Carlson can be reached at (952) 345-6378 or editor@plamerican.com.