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Celebrate Black History with the Parks

There's a number of great programs scheduled to celebrate Black History Month. Read on for upcoming events! 

Black to Nature: Joy to the NATURAL World

Black to Nature events are curated by artists Amoke Kubat, Phyllis Chatham, Beverly Cottman and Jayanthi Rajasa, based on their vision for Black people establishing healthy relationships with natural environments.

Sunday, February 26, 4 to 6pm

FREE family fun with Northside artists and Minneapolis park naturalists

Join us and our Loppet Foundation partners, indoors and outside, at the Trailhead in Theodore Wirth Regional Park!

  • Go sledding and tubing
  • Listen to African and African-American cultural stories and songs about mysteries of the natural world and its nighttime creatures
  • Get creative with Northside artists: Owl art, HeArt & Soul Cards, balloon twisting and more
  • Hoo-hoo-hooray for owls! Learn about night hunting and winter nesting, dissect an owl pellet, get neighborhood owl-watching tips

All ages, FREE, no registration required.

The Trailhead at Theodore Wirth Regional Park
1221 Theodore Wirth Parkway, west of Plymouth Avenue
 

Black History Cooking and History of Food

Pershing Park
Thursday, Feb. 16
Ages 13-19 | 5 – 7pm
More information

Minnesota Black Baseball 
Wednesday, Feb. 22

Powderhorn Park | 7 – 8pm | FREE | All ages

Frank White, author of “They Played for the Love of the Game” will cover the history of Minnesota black baseball players by sharing stories and photos passed through generations. The stories tell of denial, hardship and segregation, yet highlight those who persevered and were united by their love of the sport.


Black History Month Celebration
Friday, Feb. 24

North Commons Park | 4:30 – 7pm | FREE | All ages

Celebrate Black History Month in style as The Link and North Commons Park join forces to bring you an unforgettable event! Enjoy delicious food, non-stop entertainment and special activities. Prepare to be mesmerized by the talents of local artists who will take the stage and showcase their abilities. There will be an exciting raffle prize that you will want to take advantage of!
 

Black History Month Celebration

Harrison Park
Thursday, Feb. 23
Ages 5-12 | 6:30 – 8:30pm

Activities include arts and crafts, cookie making, treats to go and much more.
 

BHM: Making History

East Phillips Park
Tuesdays and Thursdays in February
Ages 10-17 | 6- 7:30pm

Bring your friends to play chess, create poetry, complete science projects, practice dance moves, and enjoy music and culinary cuisine inspired by Black history.
More information

 

Minnesota African American History Museum

Friday, Feb. 17
Ages 13-19 | 3:30 – 5pm
Transportation begins and ends at Bottineau Park
More information

Tuesday, Feb. 21
Ages 10-17| 1 – 4:30pm
Transportation begins and ends at Powderhorn Park
More information

 

 

Youth Summer Program Registration
Opens Wednesday

Registration for all summer youth programs opens next Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 12 pm! If you know a child or teen looking for fun, interesting, and productive summer activities, we have something for them.
We offer hundreds of summer camps, sports leagues, art, music or theater classes, outdoor adventures, gardening, gaming, biking, skateboarding and more!
Some activities fill fast, so get ready by going to our online registration page: https://apm.activecommunities.com/minneapolisparks/home and making sure you have an ActiveNet account. It's free to sign up.
At that registration page, you can start browsing opportunities by searching keywords or using the filters to search by age, location, or category. Add activities to your Wish List to easily find them when registration opens!
If you don't like registering online, you can also sign up for activities at any recreation center. Just walk in and ask the front desk staff for assistance or call the number listed on your local recreation center page. Our recreation center directory is here: https://www.minneapolisparks.org/parks-destinations/recreation_centers_program_facilities/

Ice Rink Status & Lake Ice Conditions + Winter Operations


All ice rinks built on land are open for use until February 25th, weather permitting. Check rink status here.

Lake ice is never 100% safe. Please familiarize yourself with ice safety before venturing out on the lakes. 

All outdoor ice rinks at Minneapolis Parks are free to use, open to the public and lit until at least 9 pm.
Every park with a rink has a warming room with an assortment of free loaner skates to borrow. Warming room hours are Monday-Friday 5-9 pm, Saturdays and School Release Days 12-9 pm, Sundays 1-5 pm.

Seasonal shared trail signage is up, please yield to pedestrians. Lakeside trails are not cleared or treated with de-icing materials to protect water quality. Please use caution if you choose to use these uncleared trails as conditions can be very icy. Using a cleared trail and notice it has areas in need of attention? You can report those needs here.

Bringing your pets along on your park outing? Please follow park ordinances and keep them leashed when outside of designated off leash dog park areas and yes, this includes the lakes

Cross Country skiiers, trail conditions and ski passes are available through our winter recreation partner, The Loppet Foundation.  
Planning Projects

Master Planning for Hiawatha Golf Course Property


The Latest: The course has been awarded historic designation by the State Historic Preservation Office for historic designation.  This nomination now goes to the National Park Service for consideration.  This designation does not prevent the adopted master plan to move forward, but does require additional review to qualify for use of federal funding. 
~~~~
The board 
approved the Hiawatha Golf Course Master Plan at our regular Board meeting on Sept. 7, 2022.

The long-term plan outlines transitioning the course from its current 18-hole configuration to 9 holes with reduced groundwater pumping, improved ecology and water management, and expanded trails and recreation opportunities. In addition to the 9-hole course, the plan includes a driving range and practice facilities that are aimed at introducing new players to the sport in an unintimidating and welcoming space, and interpretive information and exposing visitors to the rich history of Black golfers at the course and indigenous people's history in the area prior to development.

MPRB staff and outside experts studied conditions at Hiawatha Golf Course as part of an effort to create a sustainable plan for the course following catastrophic flooding in 2014. A Community Advisory Committee (CAC) was formed in 2018 to make recommendations for the new Hiawatha Golf Course Master Plan. The CAC concluded its work in December 2019 and a draft plan was published for public comments in 2020.

The plan did not pass a vote by Park Commissioners in July 2021, but a related measure that renamed the clubhouse after renowned Black golfer Solomon Hughes, Sr. did pass. New signage and exhibits celebrating Black golfers at Hiawatha and in Minneapolis were installed in 2022.

The Hiawatha Golf Course Master Plan will guide long-term improvements at the course, same as all MPRB properties are guided by community-vetted and Park Commissioner-approved Master Plans. Currently there are no funds allocated toward the changes outlined in the plan and the course will remain at 18 holes until funding is secured.
~~~~~
Please visit the project page for more information and to sign up for notification of project updates.

 

Latest: Park staff continue to discuss a new name for the park with the Dakota community, additional funding to implement the new playground and pool are part of the 2023 Capitol Improvement Plan.

Timeline:  Construction is planned for Spring/Summer 2023. Partial demolition and removals are likely to happen in the late Fall of 2022. Staff are coordinating the construction schedule with Sibley Rec Center and MPRB staff to minimize construction disturbances for park users.

. Park improvements and the renaming process are not tied to the same timeline, and improvements will not be delayed to align with the naming process.

Learn more about this project and subscribe to updates here: https://www.minneapolisparks.org/park_care__improvements/park_projects/current_projects/sibley-park-improvements/

Project Contact: Siciid Ali, 612-230-6576, sali@minneapolisparks.org or Bianca Paz, 612.230.6486, bpaz@minneapolisparks.org

 
The Latest: Nothing new to report at this time.

The Master Plan calls out for an outdoor gathering space to be built between the recreation center and the school. The space will be used for recreational programming by the recreation center while the school intends to use it for an outdoor classroom. Community engagement and collaboration with the school is ongoing, and construction is anticipated to begin in Spring of 2023. Subscribe to project updates on the project page

Project Contact: 
Francisca Pass
Phone: 612-499-9074
Email: fpass@minneapolisparks.org

 
Steven's House Rehabilitation
After several fires last fall, the Steven's house requires rehabilitation in order to reopen to the public. The post fire assessment has been posted to this page, and members of the public that are interested in being kept apprised of the park board's work on this structure should subscribe to gov delivery updates. 
  

Construction

Minnehaha Creek Parkway Regional Trail Master Plan Implementation

The latest: A majority of the work related to this project is complete. Turf restoration and other outstanding tasks will be completed when weather permits this spring. 

~~~~

Project Improvements

A full list of project improvements is below:
  • Realignment of E Minnehaha Parkway at 50th Street to create a 3-way stop and "T" intersection.
  • Expanded bike and pedestrian trail south of E Minnehaha Parkway between E 50th Street and Portland Avenue.
  • Upgraded crosswalk markings, expanded curb ramps and a raised crossing on the south side of the Minnehaha/50th intersection.
  • Removal of the parking bay immediately south of the Minnehaha/50th intersection.
  • Conversion of the north and south Minnehaha Parkway frontage road segments to one-way.
  • Repairs to the Minnehaha Parkway bike trail between Portland and Chicago Avenues
  • New curb cut to access the northbound on-street bike lane at Park Avenue.
  • Preservation and improved conditions for existing mature trees.
  • Creation of a new rain garden to treat stormwater runoff.

The project was identified as the top priority of the Minnehaha Parkway Regional Trail Master Plan, which involved more than two years of community engagement, discussion and design. The plan was approved by MPRB Commissioners in November 2020

View Schematic Design

If any remaining funding is available after implementation of changes in this location, prioritization of additional potential projects will be discussed with the community. 

To receive notifications about this project as it progresses, please subscribe to updates on the project page. Please feel free to contact the project manager with any questions you may have about this project.

Project Manager: Carol HejlStone 612-230-6454, phejlstone@minneapolisparks.org 
 

Keewaydin Park Capital Improvements



The Latest:   All the play equipment and climbing boulders look like they can be played on but that is unfortunately not the case.  With weather limitations the poured-in-place soft surfacing cannot be installed until next spring . The site will remain fenced until work can be completed, barring construction or weather delays work is anticipated to be complete in June.  Please respect the fences and no not enter this construction zone. Thank you for your patience, it does look fun and I too can't wait to try some bouldering here!

Work Scheduled for this Spring when weather allows:
•    All landscaping and tree/shrub plantings
•    Poured-in-place soft surfacing
•    Engineered Wood Fiber surfacing
•    Musical play piece
 
~~~ 
Based on feedback from community members, commissioners approved retaining the park's wading pool until its structure or supporting infrastructure fails. The pool and its infrastructure will be assessed on an annual basis in consultation with MPS facilities management staff. 

The Phase 1 concept plan (pictured above and available on the Keeywaydin Park project website) includes several new play areas and other improvements, including:
  • Climbable stacked boulder hills and walls
  • Free-standing bouldering monoliths
  • Zip line
  • Separate age 2-5 and 5-12 play zones with adventure towers
  • Creative nature play area with art and performance spaces
  • Sand play area, slides, basket swing, and spinner
  • Native plantings and naturalized stormwater area
  • Picnic areas and seating

Learn more about this project and subscribe to project updates on the project page. Starting with my next newsletter this project will move to the construction section.

Project contact is Colleen O'Dell, 612-230-6469, codell@minneapolisparks.org

 

Pickleball Court Renovations at Nokomis Community Center

The Latest: Construction has wrapped up for the season with some of the site amenities and court color coating/line striping being installed this spring when weather allows. 

 
Project contact: 
Chris DesRoches
Phone: (612) 313-7717
Email: cdesroches@minneapolisparks.org
 
 

20 Year Neighborhood Park Plan (NPP20)

In 2016, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) and the City of Minneapolis approved ordinances to reverse years of underfunding in neighborhood parks. The 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan (NPP20) is a long-term initiative that will transform the neighborhood park system with the following measures:

  • Protect current levels of MPRB funding.
  • Dedicate an additional $11 million annually, through 2036, in NPP20 funds for increased maintenance, rehabilitation and capital investments in neighborhood parks.
  • Allocate NPP20 funds using a data-driven, criteria-based system to help address racial and economic equity.
Commissioner Musich represents the fifth park district in the South East corner of Minneapolis.

Hello from the 5th District!

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Commissioner Musich sends out newsletters about what's happening in the fifth park district periodically.  Previous newsletters can be found here.

In this issue!

Goals

Communicate with residents about what's happening in the district. Suggest your neighbors subscribe to this newsletter! Subscription page: http://eepurl.com/QZ_-9

Broaden access to youth sports and environmental education.

Utilize a systemic approach to capital improvements and planning processes to ensure that investments being made build on system wide goals and are done equitably.

Enhance natural areas management to increase their ecological function.

Support good governance through transparency and collaboration.


Background 

Commissioner Musich has a BA in English Literature from the University of Minnesota, and has worked in the banking industry for the past 19 years, six of them as a Corporate Accountant and for the past ten years in various capacities on an IT team.  Along with several other neighborhood residents, she started the Friends of Lake Nokomis, a non-profit stewardship and advocacy group that partners with local government agencies and other non-profits to protect, preserve and improve Lake Nokomis and its surrounding park.  She has also served the community as a University of Minnesota Master Gardener with Hennepin County.   


Special Interests 

The commissioner, along with her husband and son have converted the lawns of their urban lot just south of Lake Nokomis into a small urban  farm with honeybees in a second story apiary, plum trees, a cider apple tree, lingonberry and blueberry bushes, grape vines, a vegetable plot and herb gardens.  To bring more pollinators to their gardens, established perennial beds have been slowly converted to house native plants, and turf has been over seeded with yarrow, marjoram, tickweed, ground plum, creeping thyme, calico aster and clover and a green roof prairie was incorporated into the rebuilding of their garage. Learn about Bee Lawns and Green Roofs

Avid volunteers, hikers, cyclists, skiers, canoists, sailors and swimmers you can often find them volunteering, hiking or cruising the trails, swimming or boating throughout the system. While recuperating from outdoor adventures, the commissioner can be found immersed in a book.

Current reading selection: Dragon Variation, by Minneapolis' own T. Aaron Cisco.      


 

Discover Your Next Park Adventure!

Recreation Fee Assistance

Minneapolis residents who cannot afford instructional fees because of economic need may apply for fee assistance through the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Fee Assistance Program.
 
Questions? Contact your local recreation center (Recreation Center List) or the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board information line at 612-230-6400 or info@minneapolisparks.org

Learn about the parks Scholarship FUNd.


Each year, through generous donations from corporate sponsors and local musicians, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board puts on concerts and shows films throughout the summer season. I add all of the events occurring in or very near the 5th district to my Facebook events to make it easier for you to find something fun, and free to do that's close to home. So pack a picnic, pump up the tires on your bike and head to a park near you for some free and fun entertainment this summer!
Family Nature Club

Parks on Social Media

Lake Hiawatha Park
Minnehaha Park
Morris Park
Keewaydin Park
Hiawatha Golf Course
Elmer the Elm Tree

Help Minneapolis Parks Flourish

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