BLOOMINGTON
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City parks offer something for everyone
From playgrounds to athletic amenities, Bloomington’ s city parks provide recreational opportunities for all ages and abilities.
At nearly 9,000 acres, more than one-third of Bloomington’ s 38.3 square miles of land and water is dedicated to parks and open space. Most of the Minnesota River Valley, including the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, is managed by the city of Bloomington and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages 4,211 acres of land and waters in Bloomington, and Three Rivers Park District manages an additional 1,268 acres.
The city’ s 97 parks have much to offer. Bloomington’ s parks are home to:
• 63 baseball and softball fields
• 29 soccer / football / lacrosse fields
• 27 basketball courts( 13 full-court, 14 half-court)
• 6 permanent bag toss sets
• 6 bocce ball courts
• 52 playgrounds
• 47 tennis courts, 14 dedicated pickleball courts
• 9 outdoor ice skating sites
• 19 park buildings
• 17 picnic shelters
• 4 community garden sites( totaling 210 individual garden plots available to rent)
• 40 + miles of paved and unpaved trails
Golfers enjoy the city-owned and managed 18-hole Dwan Golf Course. Skaters of all levels are welcomed at Bloomington Ice Garden, which will reopen in fall 2025 after completing a comprehensive modernization and renovation project.
In the summer, the Normandale Lake Bandshell and various parks throughout the city host a series of concerts and other family entertainment. A free splash pad is available at Cedarcrest Park. Bloomington Family Aquatic Center is a full-featured community pool located at Valley View Playfields, which is also home to the Kent Hrbek Youth Baseball Complex and the 500-seat Toro Grandstand at Red Haddox Baseball Field.
Another longtime recreational facility, Creekside Community Center, is making way for a new, larger and more modern Community Health and Wellness Center scheduled to open in 2027. During construction, most programs will temporarily transition to Logan Lodge and Bloomington Center for the Arts.
In addition to facilities, programs and park amenities, today more than 260 acres of parkland in Bloomington is being directly managed and restored to its native state by city staff along with partners and volunteers. Many other recreational options exist within Bloomington’ s parks and facilities. A list of parks and their amenities is available online at blm. mn / bloomington-parks.
BLOOMINGTON | COMMUNITY GUIDE | 2025 | 11