There are many things one can do within the city of Richfield, and this article will be describing each and every one of those things that you can do inside the city. From its local community center all the way to a farmer’s market, there’s something for everyone within the city of Richfield, Minnesota.
We shall now talk about the community center. The Community Center building was built in 1961 as the Hennepin County Library-Augsburg. In 1974, a new Augsburg Library was built straight south across Augsburg Park and the building became the property of the City of Richfield, housing part of the Community Services Department, which included recreation and park maintenance. As for its services and activities, the Community Center hosts senior activities during the day and a variety of youth and adaptive programs in the evenings, as well as private rentals. The community center also offers room rental services. Rooms are available for rent at the Community Center for meetings and small events.
Then there’s Wood Lake Nature Center. Wood Lake Nature Center is in the heart of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. It is a busy urban park that is comprised of 150-acres of forest, prairie, and cattail marsh habitat, and is dedicated to high-quality environmental education and interpretive programs. The park has miles of recreational trails and a nature center facility that is open every day to the public.
As for a more formal description, Wood Lake Nature Center is a 150-acre natural area dedicated to environmental education, wildlife observation, and outdoor recreation. Wood Lake staff offices at the 4,000 square-foot main building, which features many educational exhibits (see hours above). The park features several wildlife viewing areas, a 100-seat amphitheater, a picnic ground, and three miles of trails and boardwalks. The trails are either blacktop or crushed limestone and most are wheelchair accessible during summer months. To preserve the natural habitat, no pets, bikes or rollerblades are allowed.
For a convenient ski trail close to home, visit Wood Lake! We have two traditional-style ski trails, 1.8 miles and .8 miles, that wind around the marsh and through the woods. If there are good snow conditions, Wood Lake will be open Martin Luther King Day (January 21) and Presidents Day (February 18) for both ski and snowshoe rental. Cross-country skis and snowshoes are available for rent to use at Wood Lake Nature Center. Skis must be used on designated ski trails and snowshoes may only be used on walking paths. Equipment is available on a first-come, first-served basis and must be returned to the building by 4:30 pm.
Wood Lake was once a recreational lake, surrounded by homes, but much of its water drained in the 1950’s. In 1969, the Richfield City Council approved the conversion of Wood Lake into a nature center.
The City of Richfield has supported Wood Lake Nature Center for over 30 years. Wood Lake – dedicated as the first municipal nature center in 1971 – was one of the first nature centers built in the Twin Cities.
In 1991, Friends of Wood Lake (FOWL) was formed as an advocacy and fundraising group. In 2004, Wood Lake Naturalists provided programming to 17,660 people. That represents 24,560 hours of program time. Approximately 72,000 visitors a year visit Wood Lake for the trails and overall nature experience.
Schools Located in Richfield, MN