Dakota County leaders on Thursday, May 21 celebrated the opening of a new maintenance facility, which includes a greenhouse that allows natural resources crews to expand restoration efforts.
The 41,000-square-foot facility, located at Lebanon Hills Regional Park, includes a building that replaces aging structures — some dating back to the 1950s — that had been located in a highly sensitive ecological area of the park where natural resources staff tended to projects under long, curved tents stretched over garden beds called “hoop houses."
“Taking all of this from hoop houses that were growing and growing to this beautiful facility is a great success," Dakota County Board Chair Laurie Halverson said at the ribbon cutting, held inside the greenhouse.
Additional space and features at the greenhouse will expand the county's native plant propagation program, which engages volunteers and community partners.
“This new 5,000-square-foot greenhouse will now triple our production capacity, enabling year-round growth and education — and ensure a steady supply of locally sourced seed and plant material for restoration across our parks and greenways," Dakota County Parks Director Niki Geisler said.
The facility's main building provides improved working space and storage for Grounds Maintenance. Other features include:
- Heated indoor storage with wash bays, extending the life of equipment
- Office space and meeting rooms
- Headhouse with laboratory, walk-in cooler
- Hoophouse for additional plant growth