Osakis seeks public feedback on parks, trails, bike paths

OSAKIS — The Osakis City Council set a public hearing to discuss walking and biking paths as well as an active transportation grant for next month.

The hearing will take place on Monday, March 13, at 5:30 p.m. at the community center in Osakis. The city council's regular meeting will follow at 7 p.m. at the community center.

The action was taken as part of the council's regular meeting on Monday, Feb. 13.

The council heard a presentation on the paths and the grant funding by landscape architect Jillian Reiner, and was given a copy of the Osakis Parks and Trail System Plan.

According to the plan, there are four main goals:

• To provide a quality system of parks, open space and recreational facilities that satisfy the needs of the current and future residents.
• To improve the quality of Osakis' city parks.
• To continue to develop an integrated system of trails and walkways that promotes active living and provides efficient links to neighborhoods, community destinations, parks, schools and regional trails in the area.
• To serve the needs of all park and trail users and ensure equitable access to these facilities.

Reiner said that in addition to the public hearing, input also has been gathered at events like Taste of Osakis.
"We have no intention of moving anything forward without the public," Reiner said.

Council member Al Larson added that the input was given by people of all ages, from kids to senior citizens.

"This is something that's going to be used by everybody, so you want all that input," Larson said.