 While it was a busy year for Bemidji Parks Department, our Josh Peterson shows us tonight how record summer season of events took its toll on the parks. While the last few days of summer slip away and the fall season begins to pop its bright colors, many reflect at the summer memories that were made. But at Paul Bunyan Park, these eyes saw a record number of events held, putting Bemidji on the map. Just the venue itself, if you look at our community and Paul Bunyan Park in particular, you're right off Lake Bemidji. You're right next to the downtown. The view is just gorgeous. So all the kind of comments we got was just really positive. From music festivals to fishing tournaments, dragon boats and carnivals, thousands flooded the downtown in the shoreline of Lake Bemidji, leaving a powerful and important impact on the community. It's great. I've had people complaining to me all summer long about parking. And in rural Minnesota, that's a good problem. While Paul Bunyan Park held a record number of events this summer, the Bemidji Parks and Recreation Department had the challenge of trying to maintain all the turf so that it was ready for its next guest. We try to make sure the parks are looking phenomenal before people's events, but with thousands of people walking through the parks and mashing down to grass and that kind of stuff, we really work hard to get it back to what it should be. If anything was learned from this record-setting summer, it's planning and coordination. Even though months of preparation go into each and every event, it doesn't hurt to be more proactive. We just need to make sure that as a community and the organizations that are working with the city that we were pretty clear on who's in charge of what. With the summer coming to a close, plans and preparation have already begun for another busy summer next season. In Bemidji, Josh Peterson, Lakeland News. And there are still plenty of events coming up for Paul Bunyan Park like the Worldwide Day of Play and the First City of Lights celebration. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.