Grand Marais Park Board explores first phase of master plan improvements

On Tuesday, July 1, the Grand Marais Park Board hosted an open house at the Rec Hall in Grand Marais Recreation Park to gather public input on the first phase of the master plan improvements, which focused on updates to the bathhouses and Rec Hall building.

Mike Fischer and Doug Zaun, architects with LHB, an architecture and engineering firm based in Minneapolis, Minn., are working with the park board to identify and design the necessary facility and ground improvements. For over a year, the park board has been undergoing a process to update the 2009 recreation park master plan and receive a regionally significant designation from the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission (GMRPTC), which the Grand Marais Recreation Park received in spring of 2024.

At the open house, Fischer and Zaun presented four concept plans, each with different options for locations of bathhouses, the rec hall building, and the office. The two architects fielded questions and feedback from the public about the proposed concept plans.

Rec Hall Open House | Photo by Kalli Hawkins

Approximately 30 individuals, who were a mix of Grand Marais residents, city staff, and seasonal campground campers, attended the two-hour open house. Attendees were able to vote for their preferred concept plan and provide additional feedback.

Following the open house, Fischer and Zaun attended the July 1 Grand Marais Park Board meeting at City Hall.

“We learned a lot today,” Fischer told the park board.

He said the goal was to gather input from Grand Marais residents, campers, and staff on how the rec hall building is used, areas for improvement, and locations of bathhouses within the park.

“That was the point of today, just quizzing people,” Fischer said.

After considering public input and discussing the four concept plans, the park board and the LHB architects decided to move forward with pursuing grant funding to replace and relocate Bathhouse Two, which was identified as the highest priority.

The park board is pursuing grant funding to cover the cost of the needed improvements. LHB and Dave Tersteeg, Grand Marais parks manager, will collaborate to begin grant writing, as the grant cycle for the desired grant concludes at the end of July.

Kalli Hawkins July 3, 2025