Echo Bay Park plans move forward
News | Published on September 2, 2025 at 2:22pm GMT+0000 | Author: Tucker Henderson
0By Tom Hintgen
Otter Tail County Correspondent
In late 2021 land close to Fish Lake and near Dunvilla, northeast of Pelican Rapids, was given to Otter Tail County. This was done with the stipulation that the county make this into a county park, kept as much as possible in its natural state as a habitat for wildlife, fish and plants.
“We are developing the Echo Bay Park for visitors while at the same time keeping conservation in mind, respecting the wishes and vision of the former property owner,” said Kevin Fellbaum, county parks and trails director to county board members on Tuesday morning, Aug, 26.
The former property owner granted the Minnesota Land Trust a conservation easement to protect the property’s natural features. To that end, Echo Bay County Park plans are being developed in harmony with the property owner’s vision.
Otter Tail County has contracted with Houston Engineering to plan for bituminous access roads and parking areas, walking/access paths and park amenities such as toilets, park lighting, picnic shelters and site grading within the established easements as needed.
An erosion control plan and seeding plan will coincide with conservation efforts as the county park nears completion northeast of Pelican Rapids, near Dunvilla at Fish Lake. “All earth moving will be done at one time, and not different times, in order to save on costs,” Fellbaum said.
He said that state grants will augment county park construction money coming from taxpayers of Otter Tail County. Houston Engineering, at each stage, will deliver in pdf format to county officials the removals, grading, drainage, utility, campsite amenities
plans, landscape, details and erosion control plan sheets.
The construction timetable for Echo Bay County Park, which includes close to 165 acres, is as follows:
• Engineering, review, and permitting should be finalized by Dec. 31, 2025
• Bidding for construction should be complete by March 31, 2026
• Construction is slated to begin on April 30, 2026; and the project is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, 2026.