Magnuson Park with extreme flooding in August 2024 photographed by Lance Albers.

Dr. Allen Magnuson Park is a centrally located 2.8-acre green space at the corner of Vernon Avenue and Cascade Street in downtown Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Today, it is recognized as a premier destination playground within Otter Tail County, but its grounds carry a deep historical connection to the early development of the city.

Long before it became a modern community playground, the site was officially known as Northern Pacific Park or N.P. Park. It sits directly along the historical corridor of the Northern Pacific Railway, the legendary railroad line that fueled the rapid economic and population growth of Fergus Falls starting in the late 19th century. For generations, N.P. Park served as an open green space and a community backdrop for local travelers, railway workers, and downtown residents.

In February 2022, the Fergus Falls City Council unanimously approved a complete renaming of the park to honor Dr. Allen E. Magnuson, a beloved local pediatrician who passed away in late 2021. Dr. Magnuson dedicated 40 years of his life (1978–2018) to caring for generations of area children at the Fergus Falls Medical Group.

Led by a grassroots community initiative called Project Play alongside the Fergus Falls Noon Kiwanis, a massive fundraising campaign completely overhauled the aged city park into a cutting-edge destination playground. The location holds powerful symbolic meaning: it rests directly across the street from Lake Region Healthcare, where Dr. Magnuson practiced medicine for four decades. The new inclusive park officially celebrated its grand opening on September 24, 2022—the one-year anniversary of his passing.

What is Inside the Park?

Following its $1.3 million total restoration, the park was completely rebuilt using custom, universally accessible Landscape Structures play systems. The 2.8-acre park features:

Inclusive Playgrounds: Fully ADA-compliant poured-in-place rubber surfacing allows wheeled mobility devices to seamlessly access every corner. Features include a multi-user Sway Fun glider, specialized inclusive spinners, and multi-user swings.
High-Altitude Climbing: A towering 12-foot Super Netplex Tower and a geometric, abstract Hedra climbing structure designed specifically to offer larger-scale, thrilling physical challenges for older kids and teens aged 8 to 13.
Interactive Splash Misters: To cool off on hot summer days, the park includes a sensory water play area consisting of four tall cattail posts that spray a refreshing, fine mist.
Auditory & Imaginative Play: A “Smart Play Loft + Market Café” playhouse for toddlers and preschoolers sits near the Rhapsody outdoor musical instruments, featuring commercial-grade Grandioso Chimes and a Vivo Metallophone.
Shade & Amenities: Broad structural SkyWays shades protect families from the sun, complementing a large picnic shelter, electricity hookups, lush flowerbeds, and modern public restrooms.

Why It’s a Community Favorite

Dr. Allen Magnuson Park is widely considered one of the top family destinations in Otter Tail County because it is designed to remove the physical barriers to play. Rather than separating children with special needs, the entire park is engineered so that children of all abilities can play side-by-side with their peers.

Furthermore, its geography makes it a perfect anchor point for a day out in downtown Fergus Falls. Sitting right next door to the Fergus Falls Public Library, families regularly pair a trip to the playground with a visit to the library’s children’s media section or other local events.

The Uniqueness of Lance Albers’ Lake Magnuson Landscape Print

“Fergus Falls Library on the Shores of Lake Magnuson” is a very rare (currently less then 8 of these exist), limited edition panoramic print that temporarily transforms the landlocked library and city playground into a stunning waterfront property. The glassy reflection of the newly upgraded play shapes against the water, contrasted with the industrial grain elevator stretching into the overcast sky, turns a localized infrastructure challenge into a unique piece of fine art photography.

The panoramic photograph provides a rare, beautifully ironic perspective of this landscape immediately following a heavy August 2024 rainstorm.

While the park features a specialized dry playground and a controlled, four-post cattail misting zone for hot days, it is one of the lowest land spots in Fergus Falls and has a history of flooding. All of this water can create a massive, temporary lake.