Braemar Park Master Plan Implementation

Thank you to all the volunteers that helped on Arbor Day. We were able to plant over 200 trees to add to restoration and future canopy and habitat at Braemar Park. A great group of volunteers helped us to enhance our Eastern Trail border off Gleason and contributed greatly to our future canopy and trail habitat.

Thanks to all our volunteers

The annual Arbor Day celebration and tree planting comes to Braemar Golf Course this year to enhance the natural areas around the courses.

• Volunteers of all ages are welcome to join the celebration 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, April 25. Those who volunteer are asked to meet in the courtyard area next to the Braemar Golf Course Clubhouse, 6364 John Harris Drive.
• Park Maintenance staff will demonstrate how to properly plant a tree, then divide the volunteers into groups that will fan out across the area to plant more trees.
• Prior to the event, Park Maintenance will use an auger to break up the soil at the planting spots, so no heavy digging will be required. Shovels and other equipment will be provided.
• Volunteers should bring gloves and wear closed-toed shoes and clothes they don’t mind getting dirty. Bring a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated.

Volunteers are asked to register in advance at EdinaMN.gov/ArborDay to help plan the needed supplies and groups. Walk-up volunteers can register at the event.

Food and beverages will be available for purchase. A limited number of free tree saplings will be handed out so volunteers can plant a tree in their own yards.

Warmer weathers have us dreaming of summer and trails opening. The City has signed a multi year restoration contract with RES to maintain and enhance the natural areas in the hill around Braemar Park. This team is already hard at work removing additional areas of buckthorn and preparing for a season of invasive species management and restoration seeding to enhance and restore the woodland and oak savannas around the park.

At Courtney Fields contractor are still at work finishing safety netting and site work to prepare for the 2025 baseball season. The playground will also be completed this spring and available for use to visitors and neighborhood public. We will keep you updated and let you know when it is ready for play.

Edina has partnered with MORC, Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists at Braemar Park Trails. MORC will help to support Edina with trail maintenance and improvements. Trail information can now be found at their website here. Trail closures can also be viewed on Trailbot or at MORC's website here for all MORC managed trails. Trail needs can be reported through Trailbot or Edina 311.

Join us Wednesday September 4th at 5:00 pm at the Braemar Golf Dome and trail head for our Braemar Trails Grand Opening and Ribbon cutting. We will be thanking all those who supported the project from idea through completion. MORC, BORCA, Wolf Tooth Components, and Yardi will be on site. Take a hike or bike with us and celebrate the trails.

West side trails are open! Thanks to Edina MTB team for your help clearing debris. Please be cautious riding for shifted debris and rutting on trails. Staff and contractors are working on East side.

Braemar Trails have been prohibited to motorized vehicles but the City has expanded that to also include Class 2 and Class 3 E- bikes.

The City of Edina has drafted an agreement for City approval on September 3rd with Minnesota Off -Road Cycling (MORC). To partner on trail maintenance and long term trail vision. To help support trail maintenance the City has decided to prohibit Class 2 and Class 3 E-bikes on Braemar trails. City staff has recorded damage and received reports of damage on trail system from these bikes. The aggressive tires and throttle speeds have contributed to erosion and feature integrity. The City will continue to allow Class 1 pedal assist E-bikes. The City made this decision to both support MORC's position and partnership as well as to promote long term sustainability of soft surface trail system.

Rules and Regulations will be posted at trail heads.

The hiking and pedestrian trails are available for use at Braemar trails. These trails can be accessed from multiple points and link together with a shared use path on Braemar Blvd/Hilary Lane. Biking trails are still being worked on and are anticipated to open this week, weather dependent. Please stay on hiking trails at this time so contractors can continue to work on biking trails and restoration work on the site. A pedestrian trail map can be downloaded here.

Pathfinder is putting the icing on the cake for the Braemar Trails. They are applying clay capping to the jump-line and SW trail segment to improve trail surfacing and wear. Walking paths are open for hikers and all trees are clear. Biking trails are not yet ready and still have contractors doing tree work and natural resources work.

We ask your patience a little while longer for our Braemar Trails. Currently contractors and staff are working on finishing touches for the trails. Trails will remain closed until these items are completed. We will post a map and trail guidelines once we have completed these. We will also let everyone know an official grand opening date and time. We are very excited for the trails to be opened and users to start enjoying the space.