Planning Projects
The Latest:
This Spring the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board hosted five Focus Sessions to provide a venue for hearing stories, thoughts, ideas and concerns specific to themes impacting the Hiawatha Golf Course Property Master Plan in relation to the draft design concepts. The themes are Dakota and Indigenous Community, Environment, Golf, African American History at Hiawatha Golf Course, and Neighbors.
These sessions helped the design team and the project’s Community Advisory Committee gain a well-rounded understanding of the public's opinions of the initial designs. The next CAC meeting will focus on which features should be incorporated into the preferred concept that will then be shared with the public for additional feedback.
About this Project:
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is in the process of orchestrating a master planning process to explore methods of balancing water management and use of the Hiawatha Golf Course property. The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) process is one of the best paths to a robust conversation supporting the master planning process. During the master planning process, the CAC will meet frequently, even as MPRB staff and consultants reach out to others interested in the future of the golf course property through other formal and informal input opportunities.
The MPRB has updated its website with a page that is directed solely to this project. The site is being populated with a calendar of meetings and events, master planning progress updates, and presentations made during CAC and other meetings—in addition to the core materials gathered through the past few years of study. There are links to work being conducted by other agencies that might inform the work of master planning the golf course property, and a link that allows interested stakeholders to be notified about the project.
CAC meetings are open to the public, and formal meeting notices will be sent out by email. The final 15 minutes of each meeting are dedicated to providing the public an opportunity to address the CAC and members of the public in attendance. The next CAC meeting is being scheduled for February, to share initial draft design concepts and notice will go out via gov delivery when the details are available. The materials shared with the CAC and attending members of the public at the December CAC meeting will be available on the project page early next week.
All CAC meetings are public and anyone interested in the creation of a long-term plan for the Hiawatha Golf Course Property is welcome to attend.
Draft Concepts for the Hiawatha Golf Course Property are now available on the project page:
  
All three concepts meet the following water goals:
If you have questions or comments about the project can be submitted here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/lake-hiawatha
Previous Action
At the July 25, 2018 Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) of Commisioners meeting, commissioners approved a modified Resolution 2018-230 after the Hiawatha Golf Course Property Master Plan CAC requested clarification on the parameters of the new master plan for the property.
After a lengthy public testimony period and board debate, commissioners voted 6-2 to approve the modified version of Resolution 2018-230. The modified resolution directs the CAC to only consider a reduced pumping scenario and bring forward a solution that includes, at a minimum, a flood-resilient and ecologically-driven nine-hole configuration for a golf course on the property.
The modified Resolution 2018-230 also included Board direction to the CAC to reflect in the master plan appropriate methods of recognizing the role of Hiawatha Golf Course and the history of black golfers in the Minneapolis park system.
Please visit the project page for more information and to sign up for notification of upcoming meetings.
The Latest: This project has received regulatory approval.
The United States Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) and the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) have completed review of the Lake Nokomis Shoreline Enhancements project. SHPO concluded the proposed improvements have no adverse effects to the Grand Rounds Historic District and USACE permitted the project for proposed bank stabilization measures.
Currently the project is out for public bid and construction is expected to begin this summer.
About this Project:
Shoreline enhancements will improve habitat for both aquatic and upland animal species. It will stabilize erosion, seek to remove invasive plants, and create a functional continuum of shoreline zones. Plantings will accommodate fluctuations in water level, allowing for resilience to changing water level conditions in the lake. Improvements will be constructed primarily along the north shoreline of the lake.
Project Design
The proposed design uses three different planting zones along the shoreline.
The Emergent Wetland Zone starts at the ordinary high-water level (OHWL) and extends into the lake. Once established, new aquatic plants will reduce wave energy to help reduce erosion. A temporary fence will be installed to help plants establish.
The Shoreline Buffer Zone lies between the OHWL and wetland boundary. It will be planted with a seed mix that's compatible with shoreline environmental elements.
The Upland Buffer Zone starts at the wetland boundary and extends away from the lake until four feet from the paved trail. It will be planted with a seed mix that's compatible with upland environmental elements. The four-foot strip will be mowed grass. Another temporary fence will also protect new planting areas and connect to the emergent wetland fence.
A variety of access points will still remain so park user can still access the lake.
Questions about this project can be sent to the project manager, Jon Duesman.
Subscribe to the project page to receive updates.
The Latest: No new updates at this time.
About this Project:
The master plan is split into eight sections, which are linked below. It’s also available on the Mississippi Gorge Regional Park Master Plan project page, in the right column under “Draft Documents.”
COMMENT ON DRAFT MASTER PLAN
A Master Plan is needed to map management strategies befitting a river-adjacent, ecologically rich regional park with the potential to see two very different river futures based on the future of the lock and dam structures nearby on the Mississippi River.
The gorge encompasses parkland flanking both the east and west banks of the Mississippi River between Bridge No. 9 and north edge of Minnehaha Regional Park.
The plan was shaped through months of in-depth community engagement that included hosting and attending numerous public meetings, open houses and focus groups, online and in-person surveys, feedback from technical and project advisory committees, and eight Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meetings. The CAC was comprised of 21 members of the public appointed by MPRB staff and commissioners, City Council Members, local neighborhood associations and the University of Minnesota Student Government.
Next Phase
Now that the 45-day comment period closed, the design team will again consider comments from all stakeholders and potentially make more adjustments. Then, over the spring, the final plan will be sent to the Board of Commissioners for a final public hearing and vote on its final approval. Please continue to share your thoughts on the park plans in these final stages of public comment.
MPRB staff is aware of community concern regarding the potential of mountain biking in the gorge. This concern will be addressed at the meeting, when natural surface trails and draft frameworks are discussed. Please note that all frameworks currently reflect and support the current use of natural surface trails within the Mississippi Gorge Regional Park, which are pedestrian-only trails.
Subscribe to the project page to receive updates.
The Latest:
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board has received a lot of great feedback since it published initial proposed long-term plans for improving and managing Minnehaha Creek and the parkway, parkland and trails adjacent to it through Minneapolis earlier this winter.
The process continues with Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Meeting #5 scheduled Wednesday, April 24, 2019, 6-8 pm at McRae Recreation Center, 906 E 47th St.
The meeting will focus on overall guiding principles and vision for the project. The CAC will also discuss some big questions rising from feedback received on the initial concepts, which will help the design team as they create the next iteration of designs.
Most of the conversation will focus on the CAC, but there will be time for comment from the general public near the end of the meeting.
About this Project:
Master Planning is underway for this regional trail. The trail encompasses parkland along both sides Minnehaha Creek between Minnehaha Regional Park and the western city limit.
Over the winter, the project design team reviewed all feedback received from public meetings, events, and online comments, and created draft concept drawings showing potential improvements along the trail. A published version of the Community Engagement Summary can be found on the project page under "Key Documents."
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) has published initial proposed long-term plans for improving and managing Minnehaha Creek and the parkway, parkland and trails adjacent to it between Minnehaha Regional Park and the western Minneapolis border. These initial park design concepts were created after considering thoughts, ideas and opinions compiled throughout last summer and fall from public events, online surveys that garnered hundreds of comments, and discussions with partner organizations, MPRB staff and stakeholders.
Park Design Concepts
The Minnehaha Parkway Regional Trail Master Plan is sorted into four Segments and eight Focus Areas within the segments. One or two preliminary site concepts have been developed for each Focus Area. Each concept contains ideas relating to:
- Trail and parkway realignment
- Stormwater infrastructure and potential creek re-meanders
- Natural resource management areas
- Creek access points
- Recreational amenities
- Precedent (example) images to demonstrate ideas
These concepts are not final, feedback received will be used to update the concepts. Follow the links below to view and provide feedback online.
Segment 1 [PDF] Western Minneapolis border to Lake Harriet outlet/west terminus of Minnehaha Parkway.
Segment 2 [PDF] Girard Avenue to I-35W
Segment 3 [PDF] I-35W to Cedar Avenue (Nokomis-Hiawatha Regional Park border)
Segment 4 [PDF] Nokomis-Hiawatha Regional Park to Minnehaha Regional Park
Comment on Park Design Concepts
Due to the large volume of comments received thus far on segment 3.1, a segment specific focus group workshop has been scheduled for March 13th at Pearl Park from 6-7:30pm. Additional focus groups will be added on an as needed basis.
Concepts will be refined after park users have a chance to weigh in on the initial designs.
Subscribe to the project page to receive updates.
The Latest: No new updates at this time.
About this Project:
The MPRB is conducting a system-wide needs assessment for our recreation centers and their programs called RecQuest. As you've no doubt noticed, many of our recreation centers are in need of updating. This project is helping the MPRB discover the gaps between our current facilities and offerings as well as the recreation and programming needs of the community to ensure that investments are made responsibly. It also helps ensure that both rec centers and their programming keep pace with the changing demographics and recreation trends of Minneapolis residents. This assessment project gives you a chance to tell us what features and activities you want to see in your recreation centers.
Two important pieces to the project's success will be inclusive community engagement and a racial equity impact assessment, or looking at how racial and ethnic groups may be affected by any proposed decisions. The MPRB Community Outreach department is helping lead both of these essential efforts.
There is no preset agenda or outcome for this assessment, all recommendations will be determined only after the completion of a multi-faceted facilities assessment and in-depth community engagement process. This project will set the stage for the next 25-30 years of investment in recreation centers, most of which are 40-50 years old.
The community advisory committee made recommendations to the board during the month of July:
The four recommended programming priorities are:
Active Older Adults
Youth Development
Access to Equitable Athletics
Equitable School-Age Educational Programs
Keep abreast of this effort via RecQuest project page.
The Latest:No new updates at this time.
About this Project:
Planning is underway for the Ecological System Plan for the Minneapolis Park system. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) and the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) are preparing this plan together. This plan will set a vision for making parks and public lands more friendly to the environment.
Specifically, the ecological system plan will:
- Compile, create, and illustrate city-wide ecological data
- Craft a vision for natural resources and public lands within the watershed and city
- Outline guiding principles for management
- Challenge the community to rethink the city around them – from the local neighborhood park to the Grand Rounds to backyards – in terms of ecological function, benefit, and health.
The draft Ecological System Plan public comment period is underway, ending Sunday, April 1, 2019. This plan was created to set a vision for making more environmentally friendly parks and public land in Minneapolis.
Follow the links below to view and comment on the updated plan. It's also available to view in person along with paper surveys at the following locations: Carl W. Kroening Interpretive Center, Kenwood Community Center, Lake Nokomis Community Center, Luxton Recreation Center, Lynnhurst Recreation Center, Mary Merrill MPRB Headquarters, North Commons Recreation Center, Northeast Recreation Center and Powderhorn Recreation Center.
Draft Ecological System Plan
Ch. 1: Introduction
Ch. 2: Water
Ch. 3: Air
Ch. 4: Land
Ch. 5: Life
Ch. 6: Recommendations
Appendix: Maps
After the public comment period closes, MPRB staff will compile and analyze feedback received and potentially adjust the plan. Then the Board of Commissioners will host a public hearing before considering its approval.
Subscribe to the project page to be notified of upcoming meetings.
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