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Big Island Veterans Camp - 2 ACTIONS CREATING A PARK ON BIG ISLAND Earl./ ';J's Lake Minnetonka Conservation District and Greater Minnetonka Council express a desire to have Big Island preserved as a park. As a result Hennepin County Park Reserve District and Orono designate the Island as a park and HCPRD begins acquisition. May 1972 Orono declares the highest and best use of Big Island to be as a park and endorses HCPRD to acquire and manage it. June 1972 HCPRD supports preservation of Big Island a park. August 1974 Orono adapts a Comprehensive Plan calling for "every effort to be made to combine private and federal lands on the Island with HCPRD land to include the Island in the park and recreation system available in Orono." October 1974 HCPRD buys a three acre parcel. June 1977 HCPRD accepts a 54 acre oonation from the Metropolitan Parks oundat on (The Arthur Allen Wildlife Sanctuary) made possible by the Greater Lake Minnetonka Council. Janua 1978 HCPRD Board determines to seek conveyance of Big Island Veterans Camp from the Legislature (in cooperation with Orono and the Metro Council). March 1978 HCPRD Board approves Big Island Paris boundaries located entirely on the east island. July 1982 Lake Minnetonka Task Force formed and subsequently recommends the acquisition of the Veterans Camp for park purposes (in May of 1983). May 1983 Legislature designates all public land on Big Island as a regional park. CURRENT CONDITION OF THE CAMP The camp is bad14 deteriorated and is now closed because it fails to meet health and building codes. Jeff Olson, Assistant Commissioner of Veterans Affairs estimates that it will cost from $300-500,000 to minimally meet code requiremer` CAMP USE The management of the camp has not filed a report on use for the past two years, however, the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs estimates the use at less than 100 caripers (veterans and families►. Others have estimated use at 140. This is down from a reported 225, 4-5 y ►rs ago. It is estimated that only one half of the campers meet the statutory definition of 'hose el!gitle to use the c4rip. The management hn; reportedly also failed to fi'e reports with the Departinent of Re ienue ;,,u others.