Mark your calendars for the
Free & Family-friendly
Lilydale Park Celebration & Sampler
in Saint Paul
Saturday, September 29, 2007, 7am - 4pm
National Public Lands Day
&
World Wide Day of Play

The Friends of Lilydale Park, Saint Paul Division of Parks & Recreation and the Office of Mayor Chris Coleman, along with Café Juliahna, Dodge Nature Center, Partners for Violence Prevention, Penn Cycle, REI, The Eddies, The National Park Service, Wilderness Inquiry, YWCA Saint Paul, and others
invite you to come celebrate & experience a number of exciting park & trail improvements!

Get the latest event details at:
http://www.lilydalepark.org/

Come for the whole day, or pick & choose from our park sampler!

The Events for Saturday, September 29 include:

7:30am: Guided birding hike with birding enthusiast, Jim Ryan.

Please note: The walk will be moderately difficult, up-hill on a rough path.
Birding beginners are welcome! Bring binoculars & bird books if you have them.
Location: Meet in parking area commonly known as meet-up for fossil digs.
Directions from the west - Hwy 13/35E - Lilydale: Take Lilydale Road approximately 2.3 miles east toward downtown Saint Paul. Entrance into the parking area is at a bend in the road (that is usually wet due to natural springs). A landmark: partial remains of a railroad trestle. Take a right into the (very sandy) parking lot.
Directions from the east - Harriet Island: Take Plato as if going to Harriet Island. At intersection of Plato & Dr. Justus Ohage Blvd. - take a left (instead of turning right to go to Harriet Island) and then just stay on that road for 1 mile until you come to a bend in the road. There will be a "Share the Road" (bike) sign on your right and remains of an old railroad trestle. Straight ahead will be an old Lilydale Regional Park Sign. Take a left there, into the unmarked, very sandy parking lot area. That's where the birding begins.

9am: Brickyard Trailhead ribbon cutting ceremony & celebration!
  With Mayor Chris Coleman and Councilman Dave Thune, music by The Eddies!
Coffee & pastries provided by Cafe Juliahna.
Location: Brickyard Trailhead on bluff top just south of Cherokee Park.
Directions from the west - Hwy 13/35E - Lilydale: Take Hwy 13 east toward Saint Paul about 1.9 miles to Annapolis & Cherokee Hts. Blvd. intersection.
Park on street or continue 2/10 of a mile into Cherokee Park where you can park free in lot; walk back to the intersection of Annapolis (Hwy 13) & Cherokee Hts. Blvd. Enter path to Bruce Vento's View. Follow path to trailhead.
Directions from the east on the West Side or West St. Paul: At the corner of Smith Avenue & Annapolis, go 5 blocks west on Annapolis to the corner of Cherokee Hts. Blvd. See above for parking and how to get to event site.

9:30am: Take a guided walk down the Brickyard Trail to lower Lilydale Park.
Learn about plans for more trail work in the park and beautiful new interpretive signage in the works, a collaborative project of Friends of Lilydale Park, Saint Paul Division of Parks & Recreation, National Park Service, funded by Kodak.
Location: We'll start on the bluff-top at the trailhead. See above.

10:30am: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
for Lilydale Park's New Bike Path Extension!
Celebrate kick-off of new Lilydale Park urban youth camping experience.
With Congresswoman Betty McCollum, Mayor Chris Coleman, National Park Service,
Penn Cycle, REI, Teens Outside (University of Minnesota), Wilderness Inquiry, Partners for Violence Prevention, YWCA Saint Paul-Cathedral Hill.
Location: At the start of the new trail in Lilydale Park
where the bike trail crosses Lilydale Road (also known as Water Street).
Directions from the west - Hwy 13/35E - Lilydale: Enter Lilydale Road from Hwy. 13 (just east of Hwy 35E). Follow Lilydale Road approximately 1.1 miles. You'll see a "Trail Crossing" sign just before event site.
Parking: Park along road, or drive into Lilydale Boat Ramp road to parking lot & walk the bike/pedestrian path back about 1/10 of a mile to the event site.
Directions from the east - Harriet Island: Take Plato as if going to Harriet Island. At intersection of Plato & Dr. Justus Ohage Blvd. take a left (instead of turning right to go to Harriet Island); go approximately 2.2 miles. The event site is 1/10 of a mile west of sign going for Lilydale Boat Ramp (for access to the river).
Parking: See above.

11:30am: REI sponsored service project
to seed new Pickerel Lake Butterfly Garden.
Please register for the service project at: www.rei.com/roseville
 - Click on classes & events.
Location: Pickerel Lake
Directions from west - Hwy 13/35E: Follow Lilydale Road approximately 1.6 miles to Pickerel Lake. Park along road, or about 4/10 of a mile before you get to the lake, turn left at sign for Lilydale Boat Ramp (for access to the river). You can park in the off-street lot there and walk east to the lake.
Directions from the east - Harriet Island: Take Dr. Justice Ohage Blvd/Water Street west approximately 1.7 miles to the lake. Park along road, or, continue another 4/10 of a mile and turn right at the sign for Lilydale Boat Ramp (for access to the river). You can park in the off-street lot there and walk east to the lake.

12:30: Lunch provided by REI at Pickerel Lake

11:30am - 1:30pm: Boat rides on Pickerel Lake!
Wilderness Inquiry will provide Voyageur canoe rides!

2-4pm: Guided fossil dig w/ Dodge Nature Center
Location: Meet in parking area commonly known as meet-up for fossil digs.
Directions from the west - Hwy 13/35E - Lilydale: Take Lilydale Road approximately 2.3 miles heading east toward downtown Saint Paul. Entrance into the parking area is at a bend in the road (usually wet due to natural springs). Landmark: partial remains of a railroad trestle. Take a right into the (very sandy) parking lot.
Directions from the east - Harriet Island: Take Plato as if going to Harriet Island. At intersection of Plato & Dr. Justus Ohage Blvd. - take a left (instead of turning right to go to Harriet Island) and go 1 mile until you come to a bend in the road. There will be a "Share the Road" (bike) sign on your right and remains of an old railroad trestle. Straight ahead will be an old Lilydale Regional Park Sign. Take a left into the unmarked, very sandy parking lot area.

Whether you participate in the Lilydale Park Celebration & Sampler or not:
On September 29, plan your run, biking, blading, walk to take you through beautiful
 Lilydale Park, Saint Paul's hidden gem. Experience and enjoy our new trail improvements!

For the latest event information:

http://www.lilydalepark.org/
Or, e-mail or call: grit@oldmanriver.com  or jon@oldmanriver.com
or phone: 651-227-2264

Friends of Lilydale Park is a volunteer citizens group that began in 1999. It's mission is to protect and preserve the unique resources of the park. While the group is formally part of the West Side Citizens Organization, members come from all parts of Saint Paul and surrounding suburbs, including Lilydale, Mendota Heights, West St. Paul, etc.

How can I become a Friend of Lilydale Park?
The criteria:
1) Must love Lilydale Park!
2) Must enjoy spending time in Lilydale Park!
3) Must be willing to contribute from your unique passion & skills to help keep
Lilydale Park wild & wonderful!
4) To be added to the Friends of Lilydale Park e-mail list, please contact: grit@oldmanriver.com