In 2023, Renville County announced that they were a recipient of a $350,000 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Outdoor Recreation Grant. The total project budget is $700,000, with the County committing a 50% match, as required by the grant application. The grant will build a camper cabin and replace the current 435 square foot vault style restrooms, that no longer meet the needs of Lake Allie County Park, with a new restroom and shower facility at Lake Allie County Park.
Renville County partnered with Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop (GFW) school’s construction and trades class to build the camper cabin. The camper cabin is estimated to cost $36,000 and will be a one-room cabin containing a table, benches, and bunkbeds. The project has allowed the students to provide a service to the community while gaining real-world, work-based skills.

The new 1,148 square foot restroom and shower facility will provide two showers and two toilets in the women’s side and two showers, one toilet, and one urinal in the men’s side. The facility has an estimated construction cost of $492,188.12, along with a new $25,000 septic system. Architect and engineering fees are estimated to cost $46,397.02 and construction management fees are estimated to cost $29,450. There is a contingency of $30,524.35 built into the budget, along with general conditions of $40,699.14, for a final estimated project cost of $700,258.63.
Renville County is excited to offer these enhanced facilities at Lake Allie County Park, further enriching the outdoor experience for residents and visitors alike! The project will be completed no later than the summer of 2025.
About Renville County Parks:
The Renville County Parks Department strives to create healthy communities and contribute to the economic vitality of Renville County by preserving our parks system and providing natural resource-based recreation and education opportunities.
For more information on Renville County Parks, visit the parks page at www.renvillecountymn.gov, call 320-523-3747 or like “Renville County Parks” on Facebook.