Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, State Lawmakers Tour Great River Children’s Museum Site

(KNSI) – Local lawmakers took a tour with Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan of the Great River Children’s Museum on Friday, which is included in this year’s bonding bill.

The Legislature has earmarked $7 million in funding for the museum in downtown St. Cloud to encourage families to learn through play. Executive Director Cassie Miles says the allocation is critical to the project. “That $7 million means everything for this museum right now because that’s our construction [budget]. That allows us to build this museum for central Minnesota.”

She says it will take 12 to 15 months once crews start to complete the building. The museum has they’ve raised over $10 million. Senator Aric Putnam was on the tour and told KNSI News he’s determined to get the museum the money. “It is absolutely my top priority in the context of bonding. But it’s also one of my top priorities for the community as a whole. This is too incredibly important not to actually get it taken care of.”

The money was included in a bonding bill that passed in the Minnesota House but failed in the Senate. Republicans voted against the bonding bill stating they won’t support borrowing the money unless tax cuts to social security and other reforms are implemented.

Great River Children’s Museum would be the second largest in the state at more than 31,000 square feet on two levels serving 12 counties. That includes 64 school districts with over 120 elementary schools. Annual attendance is projected to be more than 125,000 people.

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