The Brooklyn Park Police Department, in partnership with the Recreation and Parks and Operations and Maintenance Departments, will install an aerator in Sunfish Pond as part of their ongoing commitment to connect with at-risk youth through outdoor activities such as fishing.
For more than a decade the Brooklyn Park Police have been fishing with at-risk youth. In 2012, the City of Brooklyn Park built Sunfish Pond, their own manmade pond on the grounds of the Community Activity Center. In 2017, the Brooklyn Park Police Department expanded their fishing program by partnering with Special Olympics of Minnesota for one-on-one fishing with a police officer and a Special Olympics athlete.
After a few particularly hard winters the pond fishery has struggled. A management plan has been put in place to control run off, manage aquatic weeds, and ensure a thriving fishery that can sustain itself. Part of that management plan includes the use of an aerator. An aerator forces dissolved oxygen into the pond, improving water quality, reducing algae, and
enhancing fish habitat. An aerator can also lead to thin ice. Therefore, as a precaution, the City of Brooklyn Park will place signage around the aeration area advising residents of possible thin ice.
The management of Sunfish Pond will lead to a sustainable fishery and enhanced recreational opportunities for years to come.
For more information about Sunfish Pond, contact Deputy Chief Mark Bruley at 763-493-8304 or mark.bruley@brooklynpark.org.