By Chad Koenen

Publisher

The land of otters will soon be getting a new place to honor the sacrifices of men and women in the Armed Forces.  

The City of Ottertail recently learned it would receive $100,000 in state funding to help construct a new veterans memorial near the large otter statue. The funding was included in the state bonding bill after Senator Jordan Rasmusson (R-Fergus Falls) helped the funding pass the Senate Capital Investment Committee.  

“Our servicemen and women are the reason we enjoy the freedoms we cherish as Americans,” said Rasmusson. “I am grateful we can create a lasting tribute to our local heroes, ensuring their service and sacrifice will always be remembered.”  

The project has been the brainchild of the Ottertail Rod and Gun for a number of years as the group places large American flags along the walking path each Memorial Day weekend. Without a real place to sit or honor veterans in the community, John Carlson began approaching other members of the rod and gun, as well as organizations like the Ottertail Lions Club to see if they would support the construction of a veterans park in town. Carlson quickly found support among community members and contacted Rasmusson about the potential for state funding for the project.

“We have been putting up flags for years,” said Carlson of the Memorial Day tradition near the otter. “We have been talking about a memorial and doing it and finally decided this was the year to do it.”

While a group of local residents have started the planning process they had yet to finalize a plan for the park when they were informed they would receive the large $100,000 grant as part of the state bonding bill to construct a veterans memorial in town.

“We were just kind of planning the whole thing and then all of a sudden, boom, we got the grant and it is like alright now we can move forward,” said Carlson. “We are very excited about it.”

The longtime member of the Ottertail Rod and Gun Club said the organizers are leaning towards one specific design for a veterans memorial, but since the park will be placed near the otter statue on My Kind of Bank’s property, they want to ensure the bank is on board with the plan before finalized plans are determined. 

Thanks to the state funding, as well as donations from the Ottertail Rod and Gun Club, Ottertail Lions Club, the Ottertail lodging tax and a commitment of support from the Ottertail Business and Community Association, Carlson said there should be enough money to construct the veterans memorial park and construction could even begin later this year. 

Ottertail Mayor Ron Grobeck thanked the efforts of Rasmusson in securing the state funding to help the project move forward, as well as the efforts of local volunteers to plan a new park to honor the sacrifices made by veterans both locally and abroad.

“We are so grateful for all of the efforts to have a memorial park and all the efforts Jordan Rasmusson made to help us make our goal,” said Grobeck. “We are proud of our veterans and we are grateful for Jordan Rasmusson for the efforts he made to help us honor our veterans with a new veterans park.”