Kitchi Gammi Park (Brighton Beach) construction is underway

Construction of park amenities and landscape restoration at Brighton Beach is anticipated to be completed by fall 2023. During construction, only the Lakewalk trail through Brighton Beach will remain open. Users should anticipate the potential for intermittent, temporary closures to allow for materials and equipment to cross the trail.

Upon completion of park landscape restoration and improvements, the landscaped areas will be temporarily fenced to allow new turf to become established. Use of the park will be limited to the improved pathways and the Lakewalk for several months until the turf is well-established. Brighton Beach road construction is expected to start next summer in 2024. Due to ongoing long-term closures for construction, there will be no events, programming, or reservations allowed at Brighton Beach until fall 2024 at the earliest.

The Brighton Beach Mini-Master Plan Update, adopted August 19, 2019, called for extension of the Lakewalk, relocation of the road away from the shoreline, and restoration of the shoreline. Brighton Beach has had repeated storm damage from Lake Superior and it will experience future damage unless the City acts to ensure its long-term resiliency by mitigating the impacts of future events. Improvements at the park will include new park landscaping and amenities, shoreline stabilization, improved access to the shore, and replacement of non-native plant species.

The memorial benches that had been placed at Brighton Beach will be removed during construction, then reinstalled towards the end of the construction process. Families of loved ones that are remembered with a memorial bench at Brighton Beach are asked to provide updated contact information to Allison Brooks, Parks Project Technician, at (218) 730-4304 or abrooks@duluthmn.gov, who is available to discuss bench placement options consistent with the Park designs. Park designs have incorporated space for all existing memorial benches. No new bench requests will be accepted.

For more information about the project, or to submit questions or comments, please visit: https://duluthmn.gov/parks/parks-planning/progress-in-the-park/brighton-beach/

Storm damaged shoreline restoration work is supported through the State of Minnesota and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Park improvements are supported by the Parks Capital Fund and city bonding.