City of Snow and Ice

Victoria’s Salt Shed is located behind the Public Works Building on Bavaria Road.  It was formerly located on the old Public Works property on Stieger Lake Lane.  Where does the salt come from?  Replied Ann Mahnke, Victoria Parks and Public Works Director, “We contract through the State of Minnesota cooperative bidding program.  The salt itself comes from Cargill.”

Why is the salt green?  Is it related to the Gedney pickle brine that Carver County is talking about?  Replied Ann, “It is called ClearLane and is not related to pickle brine.  ClearLane-enhanced deicer is applied in the same manner as regular rock salt.  The pre-wet characteristics make it adhere to the pavement better than regular salt and, once applied, the eco-conscious deicing chemical additives melt the ice quicker, provide longer residual effects, and melt ice at colder temps.”

Ann said her city crew has about 100 miles (50 centerline miles) to snowplow, plus 125 cul de sacs, and 30 miles of sidewalks and trails.  All city streets and county roads were clean and clear by the early morning hours after the recent storm.  Said Ann, “The guys deserve all the credit.”  Trucks continued to spread salt to turn the slippery ice into winter slush.”

A Carver County truck spreading salt on Carver County Road 11 in Victoria.

There may be no flatter land in the City of Victoria than the land around the 500,000 gallon municipal water tower on Kochia Lane near the Holy Family Catholic High School.  This acreage was once farmed and cared for by Willard and Jean Bongard before they sold it in 1998 to become home to the high school. 

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The school’s groundbreaking occurred in 1999.  Victoria’s water tower was constructed in 2000.

This sculpture entitled “Convocation” was commissioned by Holy Family Catholic High School, located on Kochia Lane, and was dedicated in 2009.

St. John Baptist de La Salle, the school’s patron saint, is flanked by two high school students — all slightly larger than life and all wearing caps of snow.

Most of the snow at the Victoria Recreation Center fell on the parking lot, but some clung to the letters on the building.

Somebody hung a wreath on the baseball fence at Poppitz Field, which was so named and dedicated in 2009.  Mike Poppitz, longtime manager of the Victoria Vics, died suddenly this past December 2017 at the age of 69.

Victoria’s outdoor ice rink is located next to Poppitz Field in Lions Park.

Tracks in the snow tell us that some hardy kids were out playing on the teeter totter near Poppitz Field.

The city’s tennis courts at Lions Park have nets up, as you can see.  They’re ready for the rush of spring.

The larger than life bronze sculpture of Jesus at Waterbrooke Christian Church (on Lake Wassermann and County Road 43) stands knee deep in snow.  Gail Berger of the nearby Blessing House (visible in the background) tells its story.  "Son Kyle and Amy bought the bronze relief from an art store in Naples as a gift for me at the Waconia home.  It was way too large for my yard, and he suggested it be given to the new church that I was involved with building . . .

. . . Kyle told me there were three others which had gone to Catholic Universities.  He had it shipped up and we stored it until the church was ready to place it.  Pretty nice gift of my son to me, and it has become the trademark image of Waterbrooke."  Construction of the church building was completed in 2006.

That’s the Kidtalk building, center back, in downtown Victoria.

I’m standing in the parking lot behind the Victoria House.

Some of the parking spaces in front of the downtown Clocktower building were temporarily out of commission.

Commissioned by the Victoria Centennial Committee in 2015, the steel Centennial Sculpture at Bayfront Park also collects snow at its feet.  Randy Miller’s Stone Memorial, placed after his death in 2017, will be readable when the snow melts.  Both are prominent along Stieger Lake Lane in downtown Victoria.

A snowplow cleared the trail located between Bayfront Park and the Charlson Thun Community Bandstand.  That’s Stieger Lake in the background, of course, and my shadow in the foreground.

The historic Lake Auburn Moravian Cemetery, located behind the Moravian Church on Victoria Drive (County Road #11 North of Hwy 5, which is the Dairy Queen road), seemed more peaceful than usual after the January snowstorm.

Just across the road from the Lake Auburn Moravian Church, also called the Moravian Church of Lake Auburn, is — have you any doubt? — Lake Auburn!  You can see some of the homes on the other side of the lake.

Both the St. Victoria Catholic Church and the Lake Auburn Moravian have been in Victoria for 160 years — since 1857 and 1858, respectively and respectfully. 

The larger than life bronze sculpture, entitled “Ave Maria,” was commissioned by Yours Truly and dedicated in 2010 at St. Victoria.  Mary wears a bonnet of snow, but not her Baby Son.

Victoria’s Welcoming Monument, commissioned by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and placed in 1996, is nestled next to majestic, snow-flocked evergreen trees.

There were also no footprints near the entrance to the apple barn at the Apple Farm, but a snowplow had paved a path near the door.

The Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail runs along Hwy 5 in front of the Apple Farm.

There were also no footprints near the playground and picnic shelter at South Lake Virginia Shores Park, located on the east side of Smithtown Road.

The west campus of Mount Olivet Lutheran Church is located on the west side of Rolling Acres Road and the east side of Schutz Lake.

We have a couple of albino deer in our front yard, which is on the west side of Schutz Lake.

At 5 o’clock each evening, our tree lights come on in the backyard of our Winter Wonderland.  Check out Night Lights.