Walter Mondale won’t get a state park named after him — but he could get a canoe route and scenic byway – By Dave Orrick (Pioneer Press) / April 30 2019
It appears that Former Vice President Walter Mondale won’t get a Minnesota state park named after him. Instead, his name stands poised to grace a state canoe route and possibly a scenic byway.
On Tuesday, the state House approved a measure that would rename a segment of the St. Croix River Water Trail after Mondale.
House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, DFL-Golden Valley, said the intent is to include signs at landings along the paddling route and various visitor facilities, such as an overlook, “in recognition of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act,” which Mondale championed. The House approved up to $50,000 toward that end.
In addition, Winkler said there’s a plan afoot to name a “scenic byway” after Mondale.
‘MONDALE STATE PARK’ SCRAPPED
The renaming of the vehicle and paddling routes would be a bit of a consolation prize for Democrats, who originally wanted to rename a state park along the river after Mondale, a former vice president and U.S. senator and the elder statesman of the party today.
At first, Winkler eyed Interstate State Park near Taylors Falls, but a number of residents of the area opposed it. He then looked to St. Croix State Park farther north; residents there started a petition against it.
“A lot of people expressed opposition to renaming a state asset in honor of a state leader for parochial reasons,” Winkler said in an interview Tuesday.
Also against Winkler was a state law that prohibits naming state facilities after the living.
Mondale could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
