East Park
Where is East Park?
59 acres
East Park was established in 1909 partially as a gift from O.T. Dennison and others and partially a purchase. Willow Creek flows into the Winnebago River enhancing the immense beauty of this park located on the east side of Mason City. There are three main entrances and features a variety of amenities. There are many playground areas including Prairie Playground, which is a maze of equipment build in 1998 by community volunteers.
East Park Amenities:
baby swing, band shell, basketball, benches, bike rental, charcoal grills, disc golf, fireplace (only located in shelter #1), fishing, fitness equipment, open space, parking lot, pickleball, playground, restrooms, shelters, sledding hill, trails
East Park is located on the east side of Mason City, containing 57.6 acres of developed parkland. It was established in 1909. There are two scenic rivers that enhance the immense beauty of this park, the Winnebago River and Willow Creek. The park has three main entrances, East State Street, Virginia Avenue, and 4th Street NE. The park features a variety of activities such as picnics, disc golf course, pickleball courts, basketball, fishing, a sledding hill and more. Numerous pieces of playground equipment are located throughout the park and at every shelter house. A popular play area is the Prairie Playground located at the East State Street entrance. It is a maze of playground equipment built in the fall of 1998 by community volunteers. The park sports a 2.08 mile, 8 foot wide, hard surface trail system that contains two scenic pedestrian bridge crossings and connects to every shelter house in the park, as well as garden areas, band shell and gazebo.
The 457 Rotary Cannonball is also a popular feature housed in the park. It is a 1912 steam locomotive and tender which was donated by the American Crystal Sugar Company and placed in East Park in 1959. It was built by the American Locomotive Company of Schenectady, New York for the Minneapolis and St. Louis railroad.
The park has four shelter houses, a gazebo, a band shell and plenty of parking spaces. Reservations are taken from January to the end of September. Shelter house #2 and #4 have restroom facilities and restroom facilities are within walking distance to Shelter houses #1 and #3. All shelter houses have electricity and drinking fountains.
The Garden Club is very active in the park, along with numerous volunteers. The flower gardens around the gazebo and duck pond area are some of the most beautiful in the state! There are also two beautiful water fountains and a trickling waterfall. Garden Club members spend many hours planting, weeding, cleaning and maintaining the gardens, fountains and waterfalls. The park also contains some of the most magnificent towering oak trees in the state. The Garden Club and all of the volunteers take great pride in their work so don’t miss out on this beautiful spectacle.
The Margaret MacNider Campground and Aquatic Center are located to the north, across the footbridge over the Winnebago River. The footbridge was constructed in 2006.