Construction of new visitor center at Jay Cooke State Park begins this week

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Construction of new visitor center at Jay Cooke State Park begins this week
(Released August 26, 2010)



Work is scheduled to begin this week on a new 2,000-square-foot visitor center at Jay Cooke State Park in Carlton, according the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).


While construction is underway, the park will remain open, but parking will be limited and there will be varying levels of construction noise throughout the project. The DNR advises visitors to take extra precautions and keep a safe distance away from the heavy equipment working in the area.

Most of the work will take place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., but on Wednesday, Sept. 1, crews will be working from 9 p.m. until the early morning hours. The noise that night may be disruptive to overnight visitors. The DNR will contact campers who have reservations for Sept. 1 and offer them the opportunity to cancel and get a full refund or change their reservations at no charge.

The new visitor center, scheduled to open in 2011, will house a registration area, a larger park store, and ADA-compliant restrooms. Special energy-saving features will include in-floor heating and cooling. The new center will be adjacent to the River Inn, which will be remodeled as part of this project to include a larger area for interpretive programs and ADA-compliant restrooms.

For construction updates, check the park’s web page at mndnr.gov (http://www.mndnr.gov/state_parks/jay_cooke).