Brookings Park and Recreation

Brookings Park and Recreation The official Brookings (SD) Parks Recreation and Forestry page. Follow for updates.

09/13/2026

Today's a beautiful day to touch grass! Grab your phone, head to one of the City's parks, and snap some photos of pollinators. 🌱

We'd love you have you join our Pollinator BioBlitz this September! 🐝

Use the iNaturalist app to document plants, pollinators, and other living things you find around the community and help us learn more about local biodiversity.

Bees🐝 | Butterflies🦋 | Bats🦇 | Plants🪴 & more!

1. Download the iNaturalist app
2. Join our Project: Search for "Brookings Parks, Recreation and Forestry" and join: Parks for Pollinators 2026: Brookings Parks, Recreation and Forestry
3. Visit any of our Parks or Trails!
4. Snap a photo of a pollinator, plant or other wildlife.
5. Upload your observation to iNaturalist—our online community can help identify what you find!

The Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz is organized by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).

You can learn more about the initiative and see which agencies nationwide are participating by visiting nrpa.org/BioBlitz.

Insect Festival at McCrory Gardens is underway! Be sure to stop by the Brookings Sustainability Council booth to chat wi...
09/12/2026

Insect Festival at McCrory Gardens is underway! Be sure to stop by the Brookings Sustainability Council booth to chat with Alexis and Madalynn about the Pollinator BioBlitz happening this September. 🦋

They'd love to share information about how you can get involved, discover pollinators around Brookings, and help celebrate the insects and other species that keep our community thriving. 🐝

Event: Insect Festival hosted by McCrory Gardens and South Dakota State University Extension
📍 McCrory Gardens, 631 22nd Ave, Brookings
📅 Today (Saturday, September 12, 2026)
🕐 1:00 to 4:00 PM
🎟️ Free for all to attend

Be sure to stop by the Brookings Sustainability Council’s booth at the Insect Festival at McCrory Gardens on Saturday. 🦋...
09/11/2026

Be sure to stop by the Brookings Sustainability Council’s booth at the Insect Festival at McCrory Gardens on Saturday. 🦋

Learn about the Brookings Pollinator BioBlitz happening this September! We’ll have information on how you can get involved, discover pollinators around Brookings, and help us celebrate the insects and other species that keep our communities thriving. 🐝

📍 McCrory Gardens, 631 22nd Ave, Brookings
📅 Saturday, September 12, 2026
🕐 1:00 to 4:00 PM
🎟️ Free for all to attend

Reminder: City Administrative offices are closed today – Monday, September 7 – in observance of the Labor Day holiday. P...
09/07/2026

Reminder: City Administrative offices are closed today – Monday, September 7 – in observance of the Labor Day holiday. Please note the following schedules:

🏢 City Administrative Offices: Closed.
🚛 Landfill/Collections: Landfill closed. Today's garbage and yard waste will be picked up Tuesday. Tuesday's route will be collected Wednesday.
📖 Brookings Public Library: Closed.
💃 Brookings Activity Center: Closed.
🍷 Brookings Liquor Store: Open regular hours from 9 AM to 8 PM.

Please follow the City’s various social media platforms for holiday closures and schedule changes.

Are you a strategic, collaborative leader ready to shape the parks, public spaces, facilities and programs that contribu...
09/04/2026

Are you a strategic, collaborative leader ready to shape the parks, public spaces, facilities and programs that contribute to an exceptional quality of life? The City of Brookings is hiring our next Parks, Recreation & Forestry Director.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a diverse department responsible for:
• Parks, trails, playgrounds, and athletic fields
• Golf course operations
• Recreation, aquatic and ice facilities
• Senior services, community enrichment and special events
• Urban forest canopy
• Long-term, strategic planning; capital projects; and operating budgets

You'll thrive in this role if you are energized by variety and complexity, comfortable balancing community expectations with available resources, and motivated to build meaningful relationships throughout the organization and community.

💼 Position: Director of Parks, Recreation & Forestry
📍 Location: Brookings, South Dakota
💰 Annual Salary Range (2026): $111,599 - $150,987
📅 Application Deadline: October 2, 2026
🔗 Apply Here: https://ow.ly/rI2m50ZJEJC

Minimum qualifications include:
• Bachelor’s degree in parks/recreation, public administration, business administration, natural resources, or a related field
• 5 years of progressively responsible experience, including administrative and supervisory experience
• Experience managing operations, budgets, employees, programs, facilities and capital projects

09/04/2026

Grab your phone! This holiday weekend is the perfect time to snap some photos of pollinators!
Join us for the Pollinator BioBlitz this September!

Use the iNaturalist app to document plants, pollinators, and other living things you find around the community and help us learn more about local biodiversity.

Bees🐝 | Butterflies🦋 | Bats🦇 | Plants🪴 & more!

1. Download the iNaturalist app
2. Join our Project: Search for "Brookings Parks, Recreation and Forestry" and join: Parks for Pollinators 2026: Brookings Parks, Recreation and Forestry
3. Visit any of our Parks or Trails!
4. Snap a photo of a pollinator, plant or other wildlife.
5. Upload your observation to iNaturalist—our online community can help identify what you find!

The Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz is organized by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) You can learn more about the initiative and see which agencies nationwide are participating by visiting nrpa.org/BioBlitz.

City Administrative offices will be closed Monday, September 7, in observance of the Labor Day holiday. Please note the ...
09/04/2026

City Administrative offices will be closed Monday, September 7, in observance of the Labor Day holiday. Please note the following schedules:

🏢 City Administrative Offices: Closed Monday.
🚛 Landfill/Collections: Landfill closed Monday. Monday's garbage and yard waste will be picked up Tuesday. Tuesday's route will be collected Wednesday.
📖 Brookings Public Library: Closed Monday.
💃 Brookings Activity Center: Closed Monday.
🍷 Brookings Liquor Store: Open regular Monday hours from 9 AM to 8 PM.

Please follow the City’s various social media platforms for holiday closures and schedule changes.

2:00 PM Update: The restrooms are now open. Thank you.8:57 AM Restroom Alert: The restrooms at Larson Park are temporari...
09/01/2026

2:00 PM Update: The restrooms are now open. Thank you.

8:57 AM Restroom Alert: The restrooms at Larson Park are temporarily closed today, September 1.

The City of Brookings is updating its ash tree removal guidelines now that emerald ash borer (EAB) is present throughout...
08/28/2026

The City of Brookings is updating its ash tree removal guidelines now that emerald ash borer (EAB) is present throughout the community. Effective August 2026, ash trees may be removed any time of the year.

The updated ash tree removal guidelines take effect immediately. Property owners are encouraged to address dead, declining, or EAB-infested ash trees in a timely manner, before they become a safety concern.

“The spread of EAB was inevitable,” said Park, Recreation and Forestry Assistant Director Josh Bauman. “Our goal was to slow the spread while the infestation was localized, giving us more time to prepare for the impact on our urban forest. Now that EAB can be found throughout our community, our priority is shifting to removing dead and declining ash trees before they become safety hazards.”

Allowing ash trees to be removed year-round will give property owners and tree-removal services greater flexibility to address trees that are dead or declining from the infestation. This will help prevent removal services from becoming backlogged and allow hazardous trees to be addressed in a more timely manner.

“The loss of ash trees will have a significant impact on Brookings’ urban forest, but we have been preparing for this transition for several years,” said Bauman. “As ash trees are removed, we continue working to replace them with a diverse variety of tree species that are less vulnerable to a single pest or disease. Our goal is to maintain a healthy, sustainable, and resilient urban forest for the future.”

Since 2021, the City has invested in the Urban Forest Initiative to encourage residents to plant trees at a discounted cost. City residents can still take advantage of this year’s program. Program details are available at www.cityofbrookings-sd.gov/UrbanForest.

Read full press release: https://cityofbrookings-sd.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/5684

Address

520 3rd Street, Suite 130
Brookings, SD
57006

Opening Hours

Monday 7:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 7:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 7:30am - 5pm
Thursday 7:30am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 12pm

Telephone

+16056922708

Website

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