Lance Bernard (center), President of the Minnesota APA, presents the Top 10 Great Public Spaces Award to (from left) MPRB President Tom Nordyke; Nick Eoloff, MPRB Project Manager for Planning and Construction; and Jennifer Ringold, MPRB Citywide Planner. Also pictured are MPRB Commissioners (back row from left): Annie Young, Bob Fine, Scott Vreeland, Carol Kummer, Mary Merrill Anderson, Tracy Nordstrom and Walt Dziedzic.

The Grand Rounds was selected by APA because of the way it protects Minneapolis’ greatest natural asset -- its unique collection of glacier-formed lakes and waterways – for use and enjoyment by all citizens. The country’s only urban-based National Scenic Byway, the Grand Rounds is the result of city leaders’ foresight, planning and implementation during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries.

“It’s an honor to have the Grand Rounds be recognized as a Great Place by the American Planning Association. The Grand Rounds system was designed in the late 1800s and while much of it remains the same, there have been continuous enhancements made to meet the needs of our local, national and international park visitors,” said President Tom Nordyke, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.

“Because of the vision and dedication of many people, both past and present, the Grand Rounds has been considered the gem of Minneapolis for more than a century. It has been and continues to be cherished by millions of visitors and used as a model by park and urban planners throughout the nation,” said Superintendent Jon Gurban, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.

Through Great Places in America, APA recognizes unique and authentic characteristics found in three essential components of all communities — streets, neighborhoods, and public spaces. APA Great Places offer better choices for where and how people work and live everyday, places that are enjoyable, safe, and desirable. Such places are defined by many characteristics, including architectural features, accessibility, functionality, and community involvement.

“We’re very excited to single out this unique system of inter-connected parkways, paths, public waterfront, trails and parks as one of this year’s Great Public Spaces,” said APA Chief Executive Officer Paul Farmer, FAICP. "There is nothing quite like this in any other U.S. city. The foresight of city leaders, the parks commission and planners during the late 19th and early 20th centuries gave Minneapolis a gift that will continue to benefit residents in perpetuity,” he added. “This is one of the best examples in the country of ‘lasting value’ from planning.”

As a signature feature of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s 6,400 acres of trails, lakes, parks and recreational facilities, the Grand Rounds parkway and path system began with the vision of renowned 19th-century landscape architect Horace Cleveland. His proposal in 1883 was supported by a newly organized Minneapolis Board of Park Commissioners who used Clevelands’ recommendations as a blueprint that guided necessary land acquisitions and annexations during the next several decades. Also instrumental in establishing The Grand Rounds and acquiring the necessary land were Charles Loring, the board’s first president, and the board’s first two park superintendents, Captain William Morse Berry (1885-1905) and Theodore Wirth (1906-1935).

Loring, Berry, and Wirth were very successful because they made the critical land acquisitions at a time when the city was still young. Among the areas protected include Minnehaha Creek, Minnehaha Falls, 14 city lakes, and several miles along the Mississippi River gorge below St. Anthony Falls.

Divided into seven segments, the Grand Rounds’ separated tier system is a critical design feature that makes the walkways, bike trails and parkways safe for all users. Pedestrian paths are located nearest to the river, lake, creak or woodland. Adjacent to the walkways are paved paths for users on wheels including bicyclists, skate boarders and roller-bladers. The motorist parkways are located furthest from the natural feature. The system’s linear design makes it close and easily accessible throughout the city.

Popularity of the Grand Rounds swelled in 2008, reaching 15 million visits. Currently the system is three miles short of being a complete loop through Minneapolis. A new comprehensive plan looking to year 2020 recommends construction of the “the Missing Link” in order to make the Grand Rounds a continuous loop through the city.

The nine other APA 2009 Great Public Spaces are:

East Park, City of Charlevoix, MI
Virginia Beach Boardwalk, Virginia Beach, VA
The Squares of Savannah, Savannah, GA
Central Square, Keene, NH
Queens Botanical Garden, Flushing, NY
Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL
New Haven Green, New Haven, CT
The Green, Dover, DE
Central Market, Lancaster, PA

For more information about these public spaces, as well as lists of the 2009 APA 10 Great Streets and 10 Great Neighborhoods, visit www.planning.org/greatplaces.

This year's Great Places in America will be celebrated as part of APA's National Community Planning Month in October 2009; for more about the special month, visit www.planning.org/ncpm.

The American Planning Association and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, are dedicated to advancing the art, science and profession of good planning -- physical, economic, and social -- so as to create communities that offer better choices for where and how people work and live. Members of APA help create communities of lasting value and encourage civic leaders, business interests, and citizens to play a meaningful role in creating communities that enrich people's lives. APA has offices in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Ill, and Shanghai, China. For more information, visit its website at www.planning.org.