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The Daily Column

City of Duluth provides update on Lester Park Recreation Working Group

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Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert has announced a relaunch of the effort to identify a future for the now-dormant Lester Park Golf Course. In 2023, the Duluth City Council voted to close the course indefinitely.

This effort was launched last spring, and over 100 individuals attended a public open house in late May. Today’s announcement represents a significant next step in identifying cross-sector working group membership to lead this effort.

The Lester Park Recreation Working Group comprises individuals with diverse backgrounds and interests, such as public golf, outdoor recreation, equity and diversity, business acumen, nonprofit expertise, legal insight, environmental concerns, and local residency. Additionally, it features representatives from the Duluth City Council, the Parks Commission, and City of Duluth staff.

The committee will be co-chaired by Tim Meyer and Konner Cooke. Meyer, an active member of the Duluth Lakeside community, serves as the CEO and President of Meyer Group Architecture. Cooke, who has fond childhood memories of playing golf at Lester Park, is a clinical pharmacist for the Fond du Lac Band.

“I am grateful to the individuals who have stepped forward to engage in this six-month effort," said Reinert. "They represent a diversity of interests, experiences, and skills. While the group has no official power or decision-making authority, I am asking them to dig in and report back by April 1, 2025, on what – if anything – is possible at Lester.”

The mayor charged the working group with two main objectives:

. The discussion will cover integrating various year-round recreational opportunities, including public golf.

. Additionally, the evaluation will focus on nonprofit and alternative third-party management models for properties owned by the City of Duluth, with operations and management handled by an external entity.

Reinert has asked the working group for its recommendations by April 1, 2025. The working group will hold its first meeting on Monday, October 7 at 6 p.m. at Lakeside Lester Community Center.

Community Notebook

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has reopened the 40th Avenue West bridge over I-35 to all traffic. The bridge had been previously closed until repairs could be completed due to damage from a truck hit. All work is finished, and no further restrictions are needed. 

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