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All members of your party should be made aware of our policies. Violation of policies may result in extra charges, or in visitors being asked to leave the Center property.

Environmental Respect The ALC is an environmental education center dedicated to sustaining and improving the environment, and teaching others how to do the same. We practice natural resource conservation, and ask all visitors and participants to limit or eliminate disposables, and to recycle materials.

Group Management Please treat all ALC staff, volunteers, equipment, facilities, and grounds with courtesy and respect. Do not remove any items without prior approval. Groups will be charged for any broken, damaged, or vandalized items.

COVID 19 Please refer to our COVID 19 tab or click here for more information

Fire Code Policy We provide an in-ground fire pit, approximately 5 feet in diameter, for your nightly fire pit needs. The fire pit is surrounded by rocks from the property for safety. Firewood is available on request. Prices vary, based on the amount of firewood needed. The firewood comes from local suppliers to meet the firewood regulations of Aitkin County. You are not allowed to bring your own firewood unless it is wood from within a 50 mile radius of ALC. Fire rings are available to rent for cooking, or simply to have a fire on your site. Wood regulations are the same as for the central fire pit. All fire pits, central and personal, must have full water buckets close by, for fire safety management: two for each personal fire ring, and five for the central fire ring. ALC staff will provide buckets and water, and will ensure they are topped up daily. All fires must be attended by at least one person over the age of 18. Unattended fires will be extinguished by ALC staff without notice. Repeat offenders will have their fire rings removed at the discretion of ALC staff.

Drug, Alcohol, Tobacco & Gun Policy No recreational or illegal drugs are allowed at ALC or in the ALC’s vehicles at any time. Cigarette butts should be disposed of properly. Alcohol may not be consumed in the ALC’s vehicles, nor is it permitted during programming hours when children are on the premises. You may bring beer, wine or malt beverages (no hard liquor) for yourself or to share in moderation, but you cannot charge for it. Absolutely no firearms are allowed on the ALC site, and no hunting of any kind is permitted. Visitors violating these policies will be asked to leave the site immediately.

Pet Policy ALC has no strict policy on this, except to allow the Organizer of an event to make this decision, and to communicate it to us. However, we require any dogs to be kept on the leash at all times, and confined to the 30-acre site, away from the private area. Dog owners are also required to pick up after their animals, and to dispose of the trash hygienically and responsibly.

Departure Policies Residential groups are required to leave the site at the prearranged time. Late departures may result in additional charges. All personal items should be removed, and the site should be left in a condition that is as good, or better, than on arrival.

Cell phones Please be aware that cell phone coverage is spotty due to our remote location. Do not rely on making or receiving calls via your cell phone, or on having internet access.

Shuttle Information For public transportation from the Twin Cities or Duluth, Groome Shuttle is available (www.groometransportation.com), with a drop-off location at the Victory gas station in Sandstone (you must call them to request a Sandstone drop-off – 218-724-4676).

Accessibility ALC is a raw site, and unfortunately unable to cater to wheelchair access at this time. We will be working on smoother paths in subsequent implementation phases. However, the grounds are flat, and those with disabilities are usually able to get around. Please inform ALC staff of any physical challenges your group’s members may have that require special planning or scheduling. We can hire ADA portable toilets at cost if necessary.

Water and Ice ALC has a 3 Stall, off grid hot water on-demand shower system that is supplied by our well. The grey water is caught in collection pools underneath the showers pumped out to storage tanks, then disposed of based on grey water management regulations. ONLY biodegradable soaps are allowed in the showers. In front of the shower stalls is a sink for your washing up needs. Cold, non-potable water is supplied on-demand, and the grey water is collected using the same process as the showers. We do not have an ice machine on the premises, so if you require ice, please bring your own or we can purchase it for you, and provide it to you at cost.

Trash and Recycling ALC will provide trash and recycling containers for your event use. Depending on the size of your event, we may recommend a roll-off dumpster, and order it at your expense, and ask that you manage your trash accordingly. Recycling is mandatory at ALC, and will be collected as the containers reach capacity.