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City of Arden Hills – 2040 Comprehensive Plan Approved: 9-2 recommendations for continuing development, expansion, and improvement of parks, trails, recreation and natural resources. Through collaboration with other City committees, the PTRC has aided in the development of a long-term vision for the City’s parks and recreation system. The following information in this chapter was developed in consultation with the PTRC. As part of previous planning efforts, the City identified long-term trends to help determine future park, trail, and recreation needs. Recreation interests and participation are influenced by a number of factors, including, age, access to facilities, income, available leisure time, interest in the environment, new recreation technology, and social trends. In general, people are looking for quality recreation that is close to home, but they are willing to travel to obtain higher quality or more specialized activities or environments. 9.2 REGIONAL PARK AND RECREATION SYSTEM Although the Arden Hills Comprehensive Plan focuses on local needs, the community recognizes that Arden Hills is connected to and participates in a larger, regional network of parks, pathways, and open spaces. As of 2014, the Metropolitan Council’s regional park system includes 62 regional parks and park preserves that cover more than 52,000 acres. The regional system also boasts 40 regional trails that span 340 miles. Arden Hills is linked to three regional trails and is home to one regional park (Figure 9.1). The Highway 96 Regional Trail crosses the City from east to west adjacent to Highway 96. Recent improvements to this trail now provide a continuous connection along the southern side of the roadway to the City of New Brighton. Regional trail planned improvements include a north south segment of trail located near the intersection of Snelling Avenue North and Highway 96. This planned trail will be critical, providing users with direct access to the Rice Creek North Regional Trail. In addition, Ramsey County is in the planning process and anticipates amending the Rice Creek Regional Corridor of Fall 2017. The Lexington Parkway Regional Trail spans the entire length of the Shoreview and Arden Hills border on the eastern side of the City. While the trail is complete on the Shoreview side of Lexington Avenue, the city pathway along the western side of Lexington Avenue contains several incomplete sections within the city limits. In the past, the City of Arden Hills had requested the construction of several sections of the pathway on the western side of Lexington Avenue that were not approved by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. As redevelopment occurs and other opportunities arise, the City does seek to complete the trail to both the north and south on the Arden Hills side of Lexington Avenue. In addition, the Metropolitan Council has Draft 03/07/2018