Phalen waterfall gets new life with rededication

April 1960 view of the waterfall feature at Lake Phalen in St. Paul. (Image courtesy St. Paul Parks and Recreation)

Poetry readings, high school bands, a clarinetist on a canoe and a short procession will inaugurate a restored stone waterfall in Phalen Regional Park.

"It's been off for a long time," said Bryan Murphy, a landscape architect with St. Paul Parks and Recreation, who believes the stone structure hasn't cascaded water since the 1960s.

The Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District will host its annual WaterFest celebration on Saturday to coincide with the dedication of the 1950s-era waterfall.

St. Paul Parks and Recreation secured $296,000 from the state Legacy program to improve the water system. Measuring roughly 15 feet in height, the original waterfall drew well water that cascaded over the stones and into Lake Phalen, which was receding in the 1950s.

"It isn't receding now, and it hasn't been for quite a while," Murphy said. The new system draws water directly from Lake Phalen, which travels through ornamental grates along a pedestrian and bicycle trail and over the limestone slabs just above lake level.

"It looks exactly as it did in the 1950s," said Murphy, who believes the water flow is comparable. "It's a really nice cascade -- it's even, and it's a really nice sound. It brings a lot of life to that area."

The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. with performances by Farnsworth Aerospace Magnet School, St. Peter's Catholic School and Harding High Earth Club on the bridge north of the park pavilion. A procession to the waterfall will begin at 11:25 a.m., followed by a formal dedication 10 minutes later.

Clarinetist Don Rose will arrive by canoe and perform "Turning on of Waterfall." The waterfall is located in the northwest corner of the lake, near a boat ramp.

Launched in the year 2000, the watershed district's WaterFest celebration runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features fishing, archery, boat rides, Hmong dancers, food trucks and additional events. More information is online at http://www.rwmwd.org.

Read the rest here:
Phalen waterfall gets new life with rededication