Brainerd Rotary Park

We are continually working on Brainerd Rotary Park. Here are progress updates by our dedicated, hard-working volunteers.

Project Updates Below

August 20, 20019
August 27
September 3
September 10
September 17
September 24

October 1
October 8
October 15
October 22
October 29
May 11, 2020
May 18

Brainerd Rotary Riverside Park

Brainerd Rotary acquired 38 acres of land and 1,400 feet of Mississippi River frontage, and on January 3, 2012 the club donated the property to the City of Brainerd for use as a park. Rotarians John Forrest; Rick zumBrunnen, Club President; and Theresa Goble, past Club President, presented the city with the deed to the land located below Pump House Hill, just south of Kiwanis Park in south Brainerd. “We’re deeding this land to the city hopefully for public use for ever and ever and ever,” Forrest said.
A natural scenic area grant was received from the state and a grant came from the Brainerd Lakes General Fund with the Central Minnesota Community Foundation. Mark Ostgarden, city planner, was instrumental in achieving the grant from the state.
Comments from Brainerd Mayor James Wallin “The Mississippi river divides the city and it also combines the city — I can’t say enough for the work of the Rotary club and the others involved in this. I’m so proud to be the mayor to accept it.”
We envision it not being a highly developed park. We are working with Riverside Revitalization groups, governmental agencies, including the DNR and Nature Conversancy, in order to obtain grants and realize the "best fit" trail corridor to connect to existing trail systems in the vicinity.

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Getting There

Brainerd Rotary Riverside Park is a bit of a challenge to get to. You can not turn left, South from College Road if coming from the East. You have to cross the bridge and go around the roundabout at College Drive and Southwest Fourth St. Go East on College Drive and take the first right after you cross the river. You'll see Kiwanis Park on your left. Continue on East River Road. You'll see Buster Dog Park on the left and the entrance to Rotary Park ahead. Continue through the gate. It looks like a paved trail but it is a road. Continue ahead and vere left on the gravel and you'll find the parking lot.
From there the paved trail to your left will take you around the east side of the park. If you go to the right a natural trail follows the river to the south.