Fargo residents share on proposed Master Plan for Yunker Park

(Fargo, ND) -- Fargo residents are sharing their opinions on a proposed master plan that details several changes to the park moving forward over the next twenty years. 

Carolyn Boutain, Communications Director of Fargo Parks District, says the master plan will give them a detailed guide for improvements and projects they can consider moving forward. Boutain says the master plan is still in its public comment phase, and they are asking for your feedback to help design and guide the future decisions and capital improvement projects that could occur within the park.

"We really want to activate about thirty acres of the park, which right now are are really not being actively used, "said Boutain.

Changes to the park could include moving the dog park to a different section of the Yunker Farm Park, moving the community gardens to the north side, potentially building a skating loop, constructing several hard and soft walking or jogging trails, implementing benches, and several other potential topics and ideas.

There were dozens of community members who came to the meeting to represent their specific interests and address possible concerns. Botanical garden representatives spoke up to ensure they will continue to have a plot within the park, frequent walkers from the dog shelter voiced their want to keep the building within the park, and individuals with historical family ties to Yunker Farm shared what they looking to see out of the master plan moving forward. 

"I'm here especially because this red house was the farmhouse of the Yunker family, and I have an aunt that was married to one of the ten children, "said Kathy Gödon, a resident who is supportive of a movement to place the home on the historical society list, "It's very close to my heart, the reason why I am here is mainly to see [that] this house gets preserved."

 "I am the great grand-daughter of Seraphina and John Yunker..." said LuAnn Rand, who is also supportive of the move to preserve the home, "We want to make the home go back to what it used to be."

A public survey has been released for residents looking to give feed back on the proposed changes to Yunker Farm Park.