Mayer Community Guide MayerNGGuide19-Final | Page 16

Eagle Lake Observatory No visit to Baylor Regional Park is complete without at least a glance at Eagle Lake Observatory, a state-of-the-art facility operated by the Minnesota Astronomical Society (MAS). The site had been gaining popularity in recent years, and hit a new attendance record of 4,266 visitors in 2015. In 2016, an estimated 3,680 visitors attended public, special, and other events at the observatory. Public viewings take place on certain nights, typically from about 7 to 10 p.m., in both clear or cloudy weather. When conditions do not allow for direct viewing, videos, presentations, or tours may be substituted. The Sylvia A. Casby Observatory and HotSpot classroom were added to the location of the existing Onan Observatory in 2013. The Sylvia A. Casby Observatory is equipped with three telescopes, including the largest refracting telescope at Eagle Lake Observatory. The HotSpot classroom is a space for guests to enjoy a live video feed from the observatory telescopes. Plans have been made to add a Lunt 152 solar telescope to the Sylvia A. Casby Observatory in 2017. The Onan Observatory has more than a dozen telescopes on four observing platforms for guests to view the stars, planets, and other celestial objects. To contact someone from the Eagle Lake Observatory, email [email protected], or leave a message in the Minnesota Astronomical Society’s voice mailbox at 952-467-2426. More information is also available at www. mnastro.org. Carver County also maintains other nearby parks that offer a variety of activities. Lake Waconia Regional Park Lake Waconia Regional Park, currently a 100-acre park, is in its early development stage, expanding to a future 164-acre park, which will include Coney Island of the West. Situated on the southern shore of Lake Waconia, Lake Waconia Regional Park boasts a reservable group picnic shelter, play equipment, restrooms, small swimming beach, picnic HOLLYWOOD 3390 Cty. Rd. 123 Watertown eating & ir A Jason Bauer, Owner [phone] [phone] Fax [email protected] 16 tables, volleyball court, and grills. Outside the park, boat access is available at the Minnesota DNR boat access located on the northeast side of the lake. Additional boat access can be found at private marinas located in the city of Waconia. For winter fun, Lake Waconia Regional Park has an 80-foot sledding hill with two runs: a smooth, straight one and a more rough one. A more recent addition to the park, Lake Waconia Event Center is being operated by Lancer Catering for events. The event center is ideal for hosting wedding receptions, meetings, graduations, family reunions, and other events. Lake Waconia Regional Park is located just east of the city of Waconia. Access to the park is off of Highway 5, and parking permits are required. For additional information, contact the park offi ce at 952-466-5250. Lake Minnewashta Regional Park Lake Minnewashta Regional Park is situated on the shores of Lake Minnewashta. Facilities include a swimming beach, bathhouse, reservable picnic shelters, sand volleyball courts, creative playground, paved boat access, paved bike trails, ski and snowshoe rental, vending machines, canoe storage, and a Little Free Library located near the beach for guests who would like to enjoy a novel during their time at the park. For those who wish to exercise or stretch their legs while enjoying the outdoors, fi ve miles of turf and natural surface trails, which run along Lake Minnewashta and through forest and prairie terrain, are available. Separate trails are groomed for skiing and walking during the winter. Additionally, a fi shing pier is located west of the beach area. Besides facilitating anglers, the pier also provides a scenic view of Lake Minnewashta. The park also offers an off-leash dog area for pet lovers who want to enjoy the park. The fenced-in, 18-acre area includes nearly a mile of walking trails, a separate area for dogs that weigh less than 25 pounds, a fenced-in pond, two large open interactive play spaces, and a water fountain for humans and pets. Admittance to the dog park is free, but all vehicles will require a parking permit. Lake Minnewashta Park is located off of Highway 41 west of Chanhassen between Highway 5 and Highway 7. For additional information, contact the park offi ce at 952- 466-5250. Properly displayed daily or annual parking permits are required for all vehicles entering Carver County parks. Permits can be purchased at the park entrance through the gate house or the honor box. (The gate house purchasing option is only available during summer months.) Annual permits can also be purchased online or by phone at 952-466-5250 using a Discover, Master, or Visa card. Guide to Mayer & New Germany 2019-2020