Civil Municipal - Feb 2024

many attractions of this family-friendly community, known as the Gateway to Whitewater. People have been moving to St. Charles, named after St. Charles Borromeo of Italy, for many reasons over many years. In its early days -- it was founded in 1854 and became a city in 1858 – its location in the heart of some of the state’s richest farmland, spurred its growth as an agricultural center. Over time, others came to enjoy the beauty of the Whitewater River Valley, and the excellent trout fishing to be found in nearby Whitewater State Park, a 2,700-acre, natural preserve that opened in the 1920s. Most recently, its small-town ambiance has lured workers from its larger neighbors – Rochester, some 20 miles to the west, and Winona, about 20 miles due east –earning it recognition as a much sought-after bedroom community. “Being a bedroom community, over time, can have a negative connotation,” admits Cris Gastner, the city’s Economic Development Director. “St. Charles, with its proximity to two large economic centers, has taken that connotation and flipped it into a positive.We’re going to have people who want to live in a community that has that small-town feel, yet it’s an easy commute if they happen to work in Winona or Rochester. And I think we’ve done a phenomenal job creating that quality of life that people are looking for. It has parks and recreation, strong infrastructure, and a historic downtown; if we keep those things intact, people are going to want to locate here.” AMENITIES ABOUND The city experienced its first housing boom in the late 1990s-early 2000s. To serve its residents, St. Charles has eight community parks that includes over 80 acres of parkland, nearly eight miles of walking trails, and created the Mel Brownell Family Aquatic Center, which opened in 1999. “That put us on the map, swimming pool-wise, back then,” recounts Parks and Recreation Director, Rick Schaber. “It was one of the first aquatic centers in the area with water slides and a zero depth entry.” Working with the local St. Charles Public School 79 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 02 ST. CHARLES, MN