“She loved Oleson Park,” Lori Branderhorst, director of the Fort Dodge Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department, told The Messenger in November 2020. “That’s where she and her husband had their home. That was her neighborhood park. Something struck a chord with her with that park.”

When Donna Monkelien passed away in December 2019, at the age of 89, she left $183,000 to the city of Fort Dodge to maintain and improve the park she loved so much. Her generous donation has helped lead to the new Donna Jean Monkelien Pavilion now completed at Oleson Park.

“It seems really fitting to name the park shelter after her,” Branderhorst said.

The brand-new building features a capacity of up to 75 people and has a kitchenette with refrigerator and microwave, is heated and air conditioned and has handicap-accessible restrooms. With the inclusion of air conditioning and heating, the Donna Jean Monkelien Pavilion is the city’s first year-round park shelter, Branderhorst said.

-Submitted photo
The new Donna Jean Monkelien Pavilion at Oleson Park has a large indoor space with lots of natural light.

A shaded patio overlooks the new landscaped pond that was completed in 2020. Branderhorst said there are plans to add a deck to the west side of the building to overlook the deer enclosure.

Construction on the building started last fall and was completed this summer. Jensen Builders Ltd., of Fort Dodge, was awarded the contract for the project by the City Council for $549,000.

The pavilion has officially been open for rental for about two weeks now. Rentals for the pavilion are $150 per day for Monday-Thursday, and $250 per day for Friday-Sunday. There is also a $250 deposit.

Branderhorst said the completion of the pavilion is the seventh phase of the master plan updating Oleson Park that started about six years ago. Other phases of the update include the closure of the former Oleson Park Zoo, a new deer enclosure, cleaning up the pond and other improvements like adding more lighting and security cameras. The city has invested about $2 million in improving and modernizing Oleson Park, Branderhorst said.

“Oleson Park is one of our oldest parks in the city,” Branderhorst said. The park shelter that previously stood on the site of the new pavilion was old and falling apart, she added.

-Submitted photo
The new Donna Jean Monkelien Pavilion at Oleson Park features a kitchenette with a full fridge and a microwave.

Next on the plans for the park are creating an open air pavilion on the other side of the pond, and creating a donor memorial area. Eventually, Branderhorst said, the department hopes to improve the trails in the park’s forest area.