About Helena Township
About Helena Township
About Our Township
Helena Township is one of eleven townships in Scott County. The population is approximately 1,800. County Road 8 is the northerly boundary line, Highway 19 the southerly line, Aberdeen Avenue is the westerly line, and Baseline Blvd. and Baseline Avenue are the easterly lines. Cedar Lake is divided down the middle with the west half in Helena Township, and the east half in Cedar Lake Township, except for a tiny peninsula on the east side that extends into Helena Township, with only two or three lots affected.
Helena Township Officials
Helena Township MN
Supervisor
Local Resources
Helena Township along with the cities that border us, offers great opportunities and resources for local residents or visitors alike to live your best life.
Flowers blooming in Spring, festivals and parades in Summer, harvest time activities and colors of Fall, Ice fishing and snow sports for Winter… Experience Helena Township all year round!
Regardless of the season or what interests you, we have a little bit of everything going on. While we couldn’t possible list them all, here are a few highlights that are frequently asked about.
In February 1995, volunteers from the community started the plans for the community center. It officially opened on December 1st 1996 when the New Prague/Montgomery/Lonsdale High School hockey teams played for the first time.
The ice rink was the first and foremost planned facility for the community center, so it is named the New Prague Ice Arena. The goal remains to extend development to include more facilities for the greater community’s leisure and enjoyment.
The Community Center operates as a non-profit serving the New Prague area as a place for gatherings, trade shows, and to host youth tournaments both regional, district and local.
The New Prague Ice Arena is the home of:
- New Prague Area Figure Skating Club. Check out their website for a schedule of their shows.
- New Prague Boy’s and Girl’s Varsity and Junior Varsity
- New Prague Area Hockey Association
- New Prague Adult Hockey
Hockey and Minnesota go hand-in-hand, and of course, the beloved sport is an integral part of our local community.
Information for parents and community members about registration, volunteering, upcoming events, contacts for the New Prague Trojans Youth Hockey Association can be found on their website.
New Prague Adult Hockey Leagues meet:
- City League on Wednesday evenings
- Puckheads on Sunday mornings
Interested participants can find the contacts for the leagues here.
Ice skating and figure skating are just as much a part of the Minnesota charm as hockey is.
Public Skating at the New Prague Ice Arena
- Entrance Fee: $5.00
- Skate Rental: $3.00
- Family Skating (seasonal pass* available at the Pro Shop): $45.00.
*seasonal pass cards offer 10 punches total; 1 punch per person, per entrance.
Sometimes, there will be events held offering free skating at the New Prague Ice Arena to encourage children to participate in ice skating or hockey (and concessions too, such as pizza!)
Follow their page on FB to keep an eye out for these fun community offers.
Each year, the New Prague Figure Skating Club Christmas and Spring Shows are hosted at the New Prague Ice Arena and it’s popularity is growing with each passing year. Be sure to check it out!
New Prague Fitness & Aquatic Center offers use of their swimming pool, hot tub, sauna, gymnasium, and fitness center with studios for group classes with childcare too! Its purpose is to increase accessibility to health and fitness for the community’s wellbeing.
Browse their website for more information on the amenities, classes for all ages, contacts to arrange an event or occasion at the New Prague Fitness & Aquatic Center.
Follow their FB page to be notified of regular offers for members and non-members alike. Also the schedule of availability is posted on their FB for each week, which can change because local school swim teams also use the facilities for their practice and competition events.
Minnesota is renowned for its great outdoors and it’s residents are known for being nature-lovers.
For both visitors and locals alike, learn more about Scott County’s existing trails for walks, hikes, runs and biking.
Regional parks within the county are organized between the Three Rivers Park District and Scott County. There are educational programs to appreciate the local nature for all ages. Three Rivers Park District has a wonderful website to keep you informed of upcoming events.
Part of our Helena Township is the Cedar Lake Farm Regional Park with trails, parks, and beautiful views year round.
Find out more about the trails and amenities here. You can also explore the interactive map on the Three Rivers Park District website.
Keep updated on the development of Cedar Lake Farm Regional Park’s campsite too.
To the south of us, New Prague is home to the Greenway Trail System. These miles of trails in and around the city provides and 8 ft wide path open to foot and bicycle traffic. Cross country skiing is permitted in the winter, but snowmobiles are not. See more info on the New Prague Website.
Scott County wants input from the local community to develop the future of walking and hiking trail systems. Visit their website to find out more on how to be part of preserving our local natural beauty.
Wintertime means snowmobile fun for many residents and visitors of Scott County, Minnesota.
The New Prague Snow Drifters are a dedicated club of enthusiasts who offer lessons, membership, safety training for all ages through fun and educational outreach events and programs. The club also maintains the extensive 31 miles of snowmobile trails in the surrounding area for snowmobile users.
Visit their website to check out your next route and to find out how you might like to be a part of the club.
Explore Minnesota offers a beautiful guide (a digital version can be downloaded) for fishing fanatics, and other guides to plan a trip to explore the best of Minnesota’s pristine nature.
Within Minnesota State Park’s, residents 16 years of age and older may fish (all fish with the exception of trout) without a license. Under certain conditions, such as from the shoreline or from a boat or ice that is within the parameters of the state park.
Cedar Lake is one such state park that allows for fishing for residents without needing to obtain a license.
Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has extensive information about events and programs for the avid angler on their website. It provides more details on where and when to catch each species, advice and tips on catch and release methods, aquatic management and conservation. There’s a wealth of great information available there!
Be aware of local regulations for fishing, which can vary from county to county, lake to lake. Refer to Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resource’s latest fishing regulations for more information on fishing laws around the state.
Minnesota is blessed with acres of public hunting land, yet there are (as with fishing) some regulations outlined for hunters to follow.
Easy to follow guidance on Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources website is regularly updated so residents and visitors are safely practicing the sport and pastime of hunting.
Tips on hunting deer and hunting public lands can be found in Explore Minnesota’s website.
They also have an article sharing advice on hunting different birds, such as mourning doves, pheasants and prairie chickens.
Hunting licenses are incredibly varied, so it’s advisable to do due diligence because regulations differ based on the seasons that each animal is allowed to be hunted or the permitted location according to the license for a hunting trip.
Bookmark Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources’ latest hunting and trapping regulations, which is updated regularly on their website, where there’s additional information on obtaining the licenses you need and also maps for hunting deer and waterfowl.
Finally, it should probably go without saying, but it’s never legal to hunt on private property without the permission of the land owner or an authorized representative. Many people think this means “what they don’t know can’t hurt” or that a plot of land is so large that no harm could come of it. This is considered incredibly rude (legal matters aside), and individuals who commit these acts are often witnessed by local residents who know their neighbors cars and trucks. Behaving in this way ruins the image of hunters in general and makes land owners suspicious of people who do the right thing, which is to approach them in advance to ask permission.
We want everyone to exercise their right to hunt in a safe and neighborly way. Please don’t be “that guy”.
Preventing invasive weeds that are potentially environmentally hazardous is necessary to keep our community healthy.
You can do your part by being informed by the many resources available:
- Landowners would benefit from being voluntarily compliant with the state weed law and getting involved in the educational workshops and surveys offered as part of the Scott County Noxious Weed Program.
- Bookmark for your future reference the Minnesota Noxious Weed List from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. The list is updated on the 1st of each month and any regulation change is also updated faster than printed publication too.
- Check out the excellent and clear data from University of MN where you can find further information on other invasive species other than weeds. This list covers all terrestrial plants.
Much of the advice offered is really just common sense and simply put, courteousness. Being alert and patient are a part of safe driving, and this is that much more necessary when there’s a snow plow clearing the roads for our safety and convenience to commute. Keep up-to-date on snow safety as part of road maintenance with valuable advice from Scott County Minnesota website.
Minnesota Department of Transportation also offer guidelines on how to mark and clear driveways.
Some of the common sense guidelines would include:
- Don’t leave your car on the street when it is starting to snow or snowplows are likely to be doing their work.
- Please don’t plow your driveway’s snow into the street for the municipal plows to remove. This causes all kinds of problems. Instead it’s better to move the snow to either side of your driveway.
- Larger driveways, such as those found on farms create a lot of snow and it might be tempting to push this snow into the ditch on the opposite side of the road. This creates a potential hazard for municipal snowplows or citizens who may not be able to stop in time when your truck is crossing the road.
We get it, dealing with snow preventing you from using your driveway is frustrating. We simply ask for everyone to practice good snow etiquette and be safe for everyone’s sake.
Algae blooms are identifiable by their green coloration and usually float on the surface of waterways without sufficient flow, such as lakes. Local residents who visit Cedar Lake during the late summer may have noticed this natural occurrence.
Be cautious during the later summer months, which is when algae is usually present, not to go swimming or drink any untreated water. Notices may not always be posted so be aware and use your senses.
Dogwalkers too should keep their pets on the leash because algae is highly toxic when ingested.
Boaters should use their good judgment when operating their vessels. Learn more about future improvements that are needed for the environmental conditions in the Cedar Lake Implementation Plan.
More Than Meets The Eye
Outsiders might think that there’s not much to see or do in our corner of Minnesota. We get it, we’re far from the big city bright lights of the Twin Cities. But people might be surprised to find out all the great things happening in Helena Township and Scott County MN. If you love the sights and sounds of nature, spending time relaxing in a peaceful state of mind, and getting to know people with that typical small town, midwest welcoming spirit, then you’re in for a treat!
We just ask that you leave our township the way you found it or better…
- Summer Time Hiking Trails
- Ice Fishing In Winter
- Lakes For Swimming, Boating, Fishing
- Lots Of Hunting Opportunities
- Festivals and Cultural Events
