Dedication Ceremony Honors Vice President Mondale’s Legacy of Conservation

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, Majority Leader Ryan Winkler and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) hosted a dedication ceremony announcing the renaming of the William O’Brien State Park Lake Alice Day Use Area, a section of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, and several nearby park pavilions and river landings for Vice President Walter Mondale. Mondale has been a lifetime champion for conservation of parks and public lands.

“Vice President Mondale has left us a legacy of rugged and pristine beauty that countless Minnesotans have enjoyed, and will continue to enjoy,” said Majority Leader Winkler. “Today, we are honoring his lifelong devotion to public service and his foresight in preserving the St. Croix Scenic Riverway as a national treasure.”

Five re-dedicated facilities will now be called:

• • The Walter F. Mondale Day Use Area
  • The Walter F. Mondale Scenic Riverway on the St. Croix River
  • The Walter F. Mondale Scenic Overlook and Trail at Interstate State Park
  • The Walter F. Mondale Visitor Center at St. Croix State Park
  • The Walter F. Mondale River Trail at Wild River State Park

One of Mondale’s many contributions to Minnesota’s natural places was his sponsorship of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act as a U.S. Senator in 1968, helping to preserve the St. Croix and seven other rivers which had “outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values.” Rep. Winkler sponsored the 2019 legislation to re-name the park facilities for Mondale.