News & Project Updates

The Gateway-Brown's Creek Trail Association is excited about its partnership with the DNR and Urban Roots at Arlington Gardens. The community garden on the west end of the Gateway Trail has struggled in recent years, and Urban Roots is not only revitalizing the garden, it is using them as a living classroom for young and old alike.

Thank you, Urban Roots, for all you are doing to enhance the trail, community, and environment.

During last week's GBCTA board meeting, DNR shared an update on some fixes to a sinking culvert and the stone bridge that will cause  construction closings on the Brown's Creek trail. The culvert repair could close the trail for up to two weeks. The bridge repair will likely involve a detour.

Timing has not been confirmed, but May could be a possibility. We'll continue to update information on the site as we learn more.

We're delighted to be working with nationally known muralist JoJo to bring art to seven tunnels along the Gateway Trail.

Not only will his works bring art to the trail, it also deters tagging and much of the less desirable graffiti we encounter on various surfaces each year.

JoJo was born in St. Paul. He spent his formative years in Southern California, where he was immersed in hip-hop culture during the 1980s. JoJo mastered the art of graffiti using pencil, pen, marker, and acrylic spray paint. In 1989, he returned to Minnesota, where he became a pioneer in the street art scene. His vibrant and creative work has graced over a thousand walls and freights across America. JoJo has also been a featured artist in over 100 books and magazines on the subject. He has been contracted by cities across Minnesota to transform bleak surfaces into bright, artistic, and welcoming features.

If you see JoJo at work, please be kind, his art is intentional. And as much as he loves to share the story of his art, please do not disturb him while working. His time is limited, and you can imagine how many of his work hours could be eaten up by conversations by our many trail users.

The GBCTA is assisting with material funds, and the murals are an artistic honorarium to Gateway founding member and trail champion, Noreen Farrell.

For over 20 years, Barb Wahman served on the board of, first, the Gateway Trail Association, and later, after the expansion of the network, the Gateway-Brown's Creek Trail Association.

Barb and her husband Al were a mighty force in securing the Gateway and Brown's Creek trails as an amenity for all to enjoy. They knew the trails from their early days as railroad lines, through the first gravel surface route, and later as the Gateway became one of the first paved trail systems in the state.

For almost all of those 20 years Barb coordinated the volunteer activities on the trail, including clean-up, poop scooping, advocacy days, and special projects. And she did it all the old fashioned way through phone calls and in-person conversation.

Barb was a great lover of the outdoors and the activities that unfolded with each season.

Our trails are here for all of us because of dedicated and passionate people like Barb. She will be missed.

Four power-tool wielding volunteers built a new supply of ADA compliant benches to be installed along the Gateway and Brown's Creek Trails. Tony Grote, Dave Kolstad, Pat Junker, and bench building lead, Dennis Lindeke, cut prepped and assembled the benches. They will soon be placed on the trails by DNR staff.

MN Bike and Go allows people to enter and view the location of public toilets (permanent and portable) along bike (and dual biking-walking) trails and paths throughout Minnesota on an interactive map using GIS (geographic information systems). It also allows them to rate the features and conditions of those facilities using a short survey. The site can be accessed on a mobile phone using the link below and is free to use.

Want to check it out? Click here.

At the end of August, members of the GBCTA board hosted a small and mighty group running on behalf of Urban Roots, our urban garden partner at the Arlington Gardens stop along the Gateway Trail. The group mingled.

If your a runner, consider joining their team. You can learn more here.

The 4th annual Volunteer Appreciation night was a big success. The weather was perfect and food was prepared by the Association volunteers to perfection.

The event was held in conjunction with Lift Bridge Brewing's Townie Tuesday. $1 was donated to the Gateway-Brown's Creek Trail Association for every beverage purchased! 

Over 70 people joined in the fun and conversation along with the Association Board of Directors to thank the many volunteers for their dedication and service helping to maintain the trail system for all to enjoy! 

 Colin Partridge, GBCTA president, spent time with the group and thanked all the volunteers for their efforts!

For photos from the evening, click here.

Colin Partridge, GBCTA president, spent time with the group and thanked all the volunteers for their efforts!

The DNR's 4 The Outdoors questionnaire is currently open for public input. Please contribute to help co-create the vision for sustainable, long-term funding for conservation and recreation in Minnesota. The purpose of this questionnaire is to explore Minnesotans' values and preferences related to possible future funding models. The questionnaire should take less than 10 minutes to complete. This input will help us identify specific funding solutions that best meet Minnesotans' needs.

Learn more about 4 The Outdoors by reading the 4 The Outdoors report, visiting the DNR website, and watching the July 30 Wireside Chat.