Regional parks

Bancroft Bay Park

900 Hammer Road

• 74.1 acres

• walking trails

• large oak trees, native prairie

• 18-hole disc golf course

• 9-hole disc golf course

• restrooms with running water

• Many picnic tables

• 2 open shelters

• 1 lakeside shelter for single table

• 3 fire pits

• 2 parking lots (1 paved, 1 gravel)

• canoe launch

• wildlife frequently spotted

 

Brookside Park

623 Richway Drive

• 4.2 acres

• Brookside Boathouse

• boat launch on Bancroft Bay channel leading to Fountain Lake

• start of paved 0.75-mile trail to Pioneer Park

• 70-plot community garden

• next to 15.5-acre Brookside School

 

Edgewater Park

1600 Edgewater Drive

• 62.6 acres

• Edgewater Bay Pavilion

• Large open pavilion

• 3-season cottage

• bandshell

• large oak trees, open spaces

• many picnic tables

• views of Edgewater Bay

• 2 fire pits

• restrooms with running water

• 2 modern playgrounds

• baseball/softball field

• fishing pier

• shoreline for ski shows

• horseshoe pits

• 4 paved parking lots

 

City Beach

300 Johnson St.

• 1.6 acres

• sandy beach on Fountain Lake

• bathhouse with restrooms and changing rooms

• paved parking lot

• skate park

• sand volleyball court

• public dock

• boat fuel concessionaire

• permanent picnic tables

 

Frank Hall Park

505 Frank Ave.

• 11.8 acres

• boat launch on Albert Lea Lake

• fishing pier on channel

• popular site for ice fishing

• start of Blazing Star Trail

• horseshoe pits

• modern playground

• restrooms with running water

• permanent picnic tables

• sledding hill

• walking trails

 

Fountain Lake Park

100 Fountain St.

• 3.9 acres

• large gazebo

• on lakefront of downtown

• public dock

• asphalt overlook

• well-groomed flower beds

• children’s garden

• large shade trees along water

• lined with crabapple trees along street

 

Pioneer Park

100 Hawthorne St.

• 3.5 acres

• picnic pavilion with kitchen area

• restrooms with running water

• modern playground

• start of paved trail to Brookside Park

• gravel parking lot

• mature trees

• views of Fountain Lake

 

Shoff Park

400 Highway 13

• 12.1 acres

• Higbie Gardens (maintained by Shades of Jade Garden Club)

• small picnic shelter

• meandering sidewalk with footbridge over creek

• large open spaces

• tallgrass area with walking paths

• gravel parking lot

 

Neighborhood parks

Academy Park

910 Frank Hall Drive

• 3.1 acres

• play park

• modern playground

• lighted asphalt ice/roller rink

• warming house

• softball/baseball field

• view of Albert Lea Lake

 

Bellview Park

934 Lincoln Ave.

• 1.8 acres

• mostly open space

• older playground

 

Eastgate Park

1108 Eastgate Road

• 2.2 acres

• mostly open space

• modern playground

• basketball court, 2 baskets

• small picnic shelter

 

Eberhardt Park

Eberhardt St. & David Ave.

• 5.1 acres

• meandering sidewalk on raised bed

• small picnic shelter

• older playground

• paved parking lot

 

Garden Villa Park

100 McArthur Drive

• 4.1 acres

• mostly open space

• older playground

 

Ginkle Park

607 1/2 Cherry Ave.

• 0.8 acres

• mostly open space

• surrounded by backyards

• playground

 

Hawthorne Park

915 Garfield Ave.

• 4.3 acres (school-owned)

• play park

• modern playground

• softball/baseball field

• hockey rink in winter

• warming house

• next to Hawthorne School

• entire school/playground is 7.4 acres

 

Hayek Park

1215 Clark St.

• 19.1 acres

• play park

• Hayek Field

• modern playground

• open space

• basketball court, 1 basket

• backstop, dirt infield, bleachers

• hockey rink in winter

• warming house

 

Lakeview Park

102 Willamor Road

• 13.1 acres

• play park

• mostly open space

• 2 soccer fields

• basketball court, 2 baskets

• modern playground

• rain garden

• hockey rink in winter

• warming house

 

Memorial Park

1400 Margaretha Ave.

• 4.9 acres

• modern playground

• soccer field

• young trees

• small gazebo

 

Morin Park

222 St. Mary Ave.

• 3.2 acres

• play park

• 2 small ballfields, backstops, bleachers

• basketball court, 2 baskets, lighted

 

Oakwood Park

1400 Circle Drive

• 0.3 acres

• mature trees

• modern playground

• sandbox

 

Park Avenue Park

611 Park Ave.

• 0.3 acres

• mature trees

• older playground

• basketball court, 1 basket

 

Shoreland Heights Park

116 The Fairway

• 2.4 acres

• mostly open space

• modern playground

• backstop

 

Shorewood Hills Park

1900 Bayview Drive

• 0.8 acres

• mostly open space

• playground

 

Sondergaard Park

806 17th St.

• 5.1 acres

• play park

• mostly open space

• modern playground

• ballfield with backstop

• basketball court, 2 goals

 

Southwest Park

Front St. & Maplehill Drive

• 24.5 acres (school-owned)

• play park

• mostly open space

• part of Southwest Middle School

• modern playground

• 6 tennis courts

• basketball court, 4 baskets

• 4 baseball/softball fields

 

Troy-Hammer Park

603 Troy Road

• 4.5 acres

• play park

• open space

• mature trees

• modern playground

• basketball court, 2 baskets

• backstop

• small ice rink in winter

 

Valley Park

611 Sheridan St.

• 1.7 acres

• play park

• mostly open space

• mature trees

• modern playground

• backstop, dirt infield

• basketball court, 2 baskets

 

Virginia Place Park

1205 Virginia Place

• 0.8 acres

• playground

• sandbox

 

Wedgewood Park

500 Wedgewood Road

• 7.1 acres

• older playground

• backstop

• sledding hill

 

Passive parks

Central Park

300 W. Clark St.

• 1.6 acres

• mature trees

• picnic tables

• Ten Commandments memorial

• surrounded by churches

• near medical center

• lighted walkway through center

 

Dress Island

802 Lakeview Blvd.

• 0.2 acres

• footbridge

• 2 benches on island

• 2 benches on shore

 

Euclid Park

500 Euclid Ave.

• 3.41 acres

• mature trees

• flower gardens

• 8 benches

 

Katherine Island

• 0.27 acres

• footbridge connects to New Denmark Park

• 3 benches

• 3 fountains in water between island and park

 

New Denmark Park

411 Bridge Avenue

• 1.46 acres

• Little Mermaid statue

• statue and wading pool commemorating Danish immigrants

• flower beds

• 4 benches

• formerly Lincoln Park

 

Undeveloped parks

Doreda Park

200 Giles Place

• 0.4 acres

• open space

 

Faville Park

400 Lakeview Blvd.

• 0.1 acre

• young tree

 

Mattson Park

S. Broadway Ave. & W. Ninth St.

• 5 acres

• storage space for city

• snow dump in winter

• across from township hall

 

Summer Park

824 Fountain St.

• 0.4 acres

• railroad that splits park is being abandoned

 

Tiger Hills Park

Paradise Road

• 3.5 acres

• open space

 

Weber Park

300 Lee Circle

• 0.2 acres

• stone commemorates WWII veteran John A. Weber

• formerly Lee Park

 

 

Recreation facilities

Aquatic Center

321 James Ave.

• 5.72 acres

• main pool handles 466,200 gallons

• 236-foot water slide

• main bathhouse has lockers, showers, restrooms, cashier stand, concession stand, lifeguard station, physical plant

• family bathhouse with restrooms, showers

• zero-depth splash pool

• interactive play features

• 10 funbrellas

• high-pressure sand filters

• open grass area

• large parking lot

• Eddie Cochran Memorial, Front St. & Frank Ave.

 

Blazing Star Trail

• 10-foot wide path

• 1.9 miles on city land (of that, 1.5 miles is figure-8 portion)

• connects to 6-mile state-owned Blazing Star Trail

• connects to Front Street bike lanes

• trailhead at Frank Hall Park

• parking lot at Garfield Avenue, Front Street

• native prairie, mature and young trees

 

Brookside Boathouse

• 2,000 square feet

• canoe/kayak rental

• stand-up paddleboard rental

• classes for snowshoeing, archery, geocaching, etc.

• operated by Albert Lea Community Education

 

City Arena

701 Lake Chapeau Drive

• 28.99 acres

• 2 ice rinks

• 1 large arena, 1 small

• seating for 1,200 at main arena

• seating for 200 at secondary arena

• radiant heating system at main arena

• 4-sided scoreboard hanging over main arena

• press box at main arena

• refrigeration systems

• dehumidification systems

• 13 locker rooms

• public restrooms

• lounge area

• concession stand

• upstairs room overlooking main rink

• skate rental

• Parks and Rec Dept. offices

 

Edgewater Bay Pavilion

• 3,000 square feet

• restrooms with running water

• seating for 185

• paved parking lot

• fireplace

• modern playground

• view of Edgewater Bay

 

Hayek Field

1215 Clark St.

• regulation high school baseball field

• bleachers, lights

• scoreboard

• restrooms

• press box

• concession stand

• outfield fence with screening

• infield irrigation system

• batting cage

• warmup pitching mound

 

Kiwanis Basketball Court

321 James Ave.

• full-size basketball court, 6 baskets

• 6 benches

• fences on street sides

 

Public shoreline

• 270 public dock spaces

• several popular fishing spots: Dane Bay Bridge, Fountain Lake Dam, northwest corner of Albert Lea Lake, channel between lakes, Hatch Bridge, Katherine Island, among others

• sidewalk with footbridge near start of Dane Bay

• boat launch with paved parking lot on Edgewater Bay by Highway 13.

 

Marion Ross Performing Arts Center

147 N. Broadway Ave.

• fully equipped stage

• lobby, box office

• meeting rooms

• dressing rooms

• restrooms

 

Riverland Community College campus

2200 Riverland Drive

• 82 acres (state-owned)

• 18-hole disc golf course (city-leased)

• adjacent to Albert Lea High School

• adjacent to Snyder Fields

 

Senior Citizens Center

1739 W. Main St.

• at Skyline Plaza

• 8,000 square feet

• game room, 5 pool tables

• 150-seat main room

• conference room

• arts and crafts room

• restrooms

• kitchen

 

Snyder Fields

Bridge Ave. & Hershey St.

• 37.62 acres (state-owned, city-leased)

• 5 softball/baseball fields, 4 with fencing and lights

• 4 sand volleyball courts

• concession stand

• restrooms

• batting cage

• adjacent to Riverland Community College

• nearby to Albert Lea High School

 

Tennis courts

• 3 at Aquatic Center

• 8 at Albert Lea High School

• 6 at Southwest Middle School

• all fenced

 

Trail around Fountain Lake

• approximately 5 miles

• mix of sidewalks, paved trails

• popular among walkers, runners, bicyclists