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Strategic planning hot topics: Marketing Crookston, addressing child care shortage
Council members and Finch discuss possibility of investing in efforts to market Crookston; city attorney says dynamic leadership needed to address child care shortage in the community
Mike Christopherson
A successful, vital future for downtown Crookston was the first thing mentioned during a city council strategic planning discussion this week on the “City’s future direction,” but “telling Crookston’s story better” both locally and beyond through enhanced marketing efforts and boldly addressing the community’s continued lack of child care eventually emerged as the most pressing topics discussed.
Riopelle: COVID restrictions taken seriously at CSC
Crookston Times
Restrictions, guidelines, limitations, whatever you want to call them, Crookston Sports Center has them and they’re abiding by them in a serious manner, Parks & Recreation Director Scott Riopelle relayed to the Park Board Tuesday when discussing COVID-19 and its impact on the sports community. Riopelle said the restrictions are “all inclusive” and his staff, unfortunately, had to call the police this past weekend after a brief confrontation.
Minnesota Hockey and the Minnesota State High School League each have their own set of COVID-19 related regulations, Riopelle mentioned, including mask-wearing for everyone and the CSC is abiding by all the rules so they don’t have to close their doors.
60-acre land purchase from Herkenhoff coming into focus
Mike Christopherson
Crookston Times
It looks like CHEDA, the City of Crookston and potentially other partners are going to join in covering the estimated $375,000 cost to purchase 60 acres of land in Crookston’s northeast corner from developer Bob Herkenhoff.
Herkenhoff, as part of various continued collaborations and deals made with the City of Crookston and CHEDA, is the person behind the popular Nature’s View Estates and its market-rate home lots, man-made ponds and mix of mid-sized and larger homes. As the next phase of the development continues to head east, and with Herkenhoff looking to at least somewhat hand the reins to someone else, the last remaining, big piece is his 60 acres of land that extends to City limits.
CHEDA/City look to buy 60 acres from Herkenhoff
Mike Christopherson
Crookston Times
As he stood in Crookston’s far northeast corner on the shore of one his man-made ponds earlier this fall, monitoring progress as it was being stocked with fish to later be caught and released by local anglers, Nature’s View Estates developer Bob Herkenhoff looked to the east and said, “I don’t think we’re done, either.”
He was referring to his various deal-making and partnerships with the Crookston Housing and Economic Development Authority (CHEDA) and City of Crookston over the past several years, which have added up to make Nature’s View Estates the most popular place in town to buy a lot and build a new home.