A future regional park is planned in rural Scott County between St. Catherine and Lennon Lakes. The planned Doyle-Kennefick Regional Park has a mix of high quality native forests and wetlands, regionally significant wildlife habitat, beautiful scenery and outstanding opportunities for outdoor recreation. The Park’s vision reflects the history of the site and the community heritage of living off the land and a joy and passion for outdoor recreation, conservation and nature exploration.
This future park became a part of the Metropolitan Council’s Regional Park and Open Space System in 2004. An acquisition master plan was completed at that time, outlining a framework for park land acquisitions. Since then, approximately 490 acres have been acquired. Doyle-Kennefick remains in the land acquisition phase, and agricultural lands and homes that were acquired as part of land purchases are being rented.
The Doyle-Kennefick Regional Park Master Plan (PDF) (2012) presents a vision and builds on the site’s striking landscape of native forests and wetlands, beautiful rolling topography and its link to the American pioneer past through an 1860s homestead. Future amenities include a nature center/outdoor discovery center, 13 miles of hiking and nature trails, 8 miles of bike trails, picnic shelter, trail head, and renovation and re-use of farmstead structures.
The planned park boundary includes 1,139 acres. The County’s approach to park land acquisition is to purchase from willing sellers and to consider acquisition of lands that may be lost forever if not purchased. Funding for land acquisition has come from the County, the State, and the Metropolitan Council. Park development opportunities will occur in phases, with the first phase expected in the next five years.