LEROY – The meeting begins at 7:30 p.

Thursday, August 26, 1999

LEROY – The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m., and it’s important.

So says Margie Meier, spokesperson for people who oppose restrictions on a highly coveted tourist attraction in Mower County

She is the secretary and newsletter editor for Prairie Visions, the joint venture of volunteers from the Adams, Rose Creek, Taopi and LeRoy areas.

She and her husband, Gerald, are two of the most energetic Prairie Visions volunteers, and energy is what is needed once again.

Lake Louise State Park at LeRoy is facing a reduction in hours of operations and services.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced a month ago Lake Louise State Park will be closed for camping after Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 6 due to the DNR’s determination that low park usage numbers and cost-cutting efforts in the DNR will benefit.

"This directly affects the LeRoy – Ostrander schools, which annually use the camping facilities for their outdoor classroom in the fall," said Meier. "The closing will also deny the Boy Scout troops their fall, winter and spring camp outs. Both of these groups use the group camps on a regular basis."

Shawn Donais replaced Anne Sellness as the state park’s manager this summer. Donais comes to the area from duties at Temperance River State Park near Tofte.

Now, he manages one of the 20 smallest state parks, which the DNR has mandated closing campgrounds early. Five of the small state parks are located in southeastern Minnesota, including Lake Louise State Park.

When the closings were announced, the DNR said it lacked the financial resources to provide for property security, sanitation and other camping needs.

Thus, the 20 state parks will be closed for camping from Labor Day to Memorial Day due to the DNR’s money woes.

Meier believes Prairie Visions must do something about the reduction in hours and services at Lake Louise State Park.

"Southeastern Minnesota is known to be the most beautiful section of the state with fall color and a record number of people enjoy this area for that very reason," Meier said.

Southeastern Minnesota is considered one of the fastest growing regions in the state thanks to tourism and recreational opportunities, that with outstanding local schools provide educational opportunities that "bump" the quality of life quotient for the area upwards.

Meier and the other Prairie Vision board members immediately began a campaign to exclude Lake Louise State Park from the DNR restrictions. They called the DNR and state legislators with their opinions, according to Meier.

Because the closing directly relates to our Prairie Visions communities and their residents, Prairie Visions is sponsoring tonight’s "Look What’s Happening To Our Park" forum.

According to Meier, the issue is one for all of the Prairie Visions’ communities and rural areas around, as well as Mower County and the entire southeastern Minnesota region.

The Adams woman said, "Prairie Visions is a collaborative. Four communities of LeRoy, Taopi, Adams and Rose Creek, working together to support and protect the quality of life for all citizenry," she said.

"Prairie Visions actively supports the Lake Louise State Park Association, which is a friends-type support group for our local state park," she said.

Tonight’s 7:30 p.m. meeting will be moderated by Eileen Hutchins, Prairie Visions’ board president.

The guest list includes DNR and Minnesota State Parks and Trails Council staff, Mower County officials, area mayors and city councils and concerned citizens.

Donais, the Lake Louise State Park manager, will also be present.

The meeting will be held in the Lake Louise State Park maintenance building. Visitors are asked to watch for balloons showing the way to the building.