The Central Minnesota
Sustainable Development Plan

Quality of Place

Each community has their own story. These stories are investments that build upon each community’s unique assets and in turn act as engines to support a way of life that strengthens their community and the region. We listened, and profiled residents from all 65 communities that make up the Five Counties in Region Five.  In addition, we listened to the stories of both the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwa and Camp Ripley Military Base. Together we co-constructed profiles of what is working well, what is valued, aspirations for each community and ultimately created a foundation for a community profile. Their stories represent the positive core of their community and are told on these pages.

When listening and profiling each community’s unique story, we captured the people, history, and hopeful visions.  We looked at a wide variety of assets within each community including:

  • Natural Capital Assets - (examples: parks, trails, local foods, agriculture) 
  • Cultural Capital Assets - (examples: community festivals, immigrant/emerging populations, youth & senior activities)
  • Human Capital Assets - (examples: community college, prevenative and existing care)
  • Social Capital Assets - (examples: community clubs, foundations, advocacy groups, non-profits)
  • Political Assets - (examples: elected officials, shared purchasing and training, municipal services)
  • Financial Assets - (examples: banks, RLFs, other lending sources)
  • Built Capital Assets - (examples: housing stock, technology, transportation infrastructureure, tourism, manufacturing)

Click the community’s name to read their story.

CASS COUNTY

Backus
Bena
Boy River
Cass Lake
Chickmaw Beach
East Gull Lake
Federal Dam
Hackensack
Lake Shore
Longville
Pillager
Pine River
Remer
Walker
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwa

CROW WING

Baxter
Brainerd
Breezy Point
Crosby
Crosslake
Cuyuna
Deerwood
Emily
Fifty Lakes
Fort Ripley
Garrison
Ironton
Jenkins
Manhattan Beach
Nisswa
Pequot Lakes
Riverton
Trommald

MORRISON

Bowlus
Buckman
Camp Ripley
Elmdale
Genola
Harding
Hillman
Lastrup
Little Falls
Motley
Pierz
Randall
Royalton
Sobieski
Upsala
Swanville

TODD

Bertha
Browerville
Burtrum
Clarissa
Eagle Bend
Grey Eagle
Hewitt
Long Prairie
Osakis
Staples
West Union

WADENA

Aldrich
Menahga
Nimrod
Sebeka
Verndale
Wadena