08.a1 PRC Park at Bone Lake Name Staff Report Staff Report
Date of Meeting: June 21, 2022
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Brenda “Bee” Stignani, Office Assistant
Re: Officially naming the park at Bone Lake
Background: *62 respondents to the following survey:
Survey Monkey Introduction: The City of Scandia has a 20-acre park on the north end of Bone
Lake. This natural area features hardwood forest and a wetland area. It is a home to a variety
of local wildlife and vegetation. There are wood-chipped trails established in the park for
Scandia residents to enjoy a nice walk in the woods.
Some development and maintenance of the trails, minor enhancement for access, and minor
signage of the natural qualities are being considered; the longer-term intent is to leave this park
in its natural state for all to enjoy.
The Scandia Parks and Recreation committee wants your help with an official name for the
park. Today it is referred to simply as Bone Lake Park. The committee wants to select a new
name consistent with the Swedish theme, similar to the Lilleskogen Park (little-forest) at Hwy 95
and Oakhill Road and the new Liten Park ('small' park) on Orwell Avenue North.
We are considering 'Tomte Park.' Tomte is a Swedish word for gnome. Tomtes, per one
definition, are 'solitary, mischievous domestic spirits, responsible for the protection and welfare
of a farmstead and its buildings.' We think these little guys can watch over this beautiful park,
too.
Please reply by May 31, 2022. If enough alternate ideas are added, we will send another survey
to help us make a final decision.
Thank you from the Scandia Park and Recreation Committee.
62 Responses:
• Bone Lake Park – 18 Votes
• Tomte Park – 18 Votes
• Tomteskogen – 19 Votes
• The following 8 suggestions were not available to vote, no one from the public could see these:
o Bonny Lake Park (Respondent also voted for Bone Lake Park)
o Behaglig – Pleasant
o Bensjö Bone Lake in Swedish
o benskogar - swedish translation for bone woods
o Beryl Halldorson Memorial Park
o Bone Lake Skogen (my family refers to it as Bone Lake Woods)
o Bonnie Tomte
o Cal Floerke Memorial Park
• Comments posted on Next Door:
▪ Velkommen Park
▪ Bensjö means Bone Lake in Swedish
▪ I would like to suggest "Cal Floerke Memorial Park" or "Beryl Halldorson Memorial
Park". Both of these individuals were long time Bone Lake residents and did much
not only for the lake (serving on the lake association board for years, water quality
improvement projects, watershed community members, etc.), the Bone Lake
Neighborhood, but also for the Scandia community (i.e. both were long time Scandia
Lions members, etc.).
• Comments posted on Facebook:
Recommendation:
The Parks and Recreation Department recommend adopting the name “Bone Lake Park.”