The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) and Hennepin County (HC) invite the community to attend a public meeting on February 27 and an open house on March 2 to explore possible connections between Theodore Wirth Regional Park and the proposed D1 Alignment of the Bottineau Transitway concept located on existing Burlington Northern Sante Fe (BNSF) Railroad property adjacent to Theodore Wirth Regional Park. These opportunities are part of a multi-day collaborative visioning process that will help the MPRB, HC and community best understand the issues and opportunities surrounding the introduction of the proposed Bottineau Transitway to the landscape adjacent to the park.

The community is invited to the following meetings at Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Headquarters Building (2117 West River Road):

Wednesday, February 27, 6 to 8 p.m., Community Meeting (Board Room, 2nd Floor): This will be an opportunity for the design team and community to share and discuss key information about the park and proposed transitway.

Saturday, March 2, Noon to 2 p.m., Community Open House (Board Room, 2nd Floor): Community members are invited to attend an open house to review and provide input on concepts and ideas developed by designers based on input from the community and agencies involved in the proposed transitway.

To help with the planning of these meetings, we appreciate knowing if you are going to attend. Reservations are not required, but if you know you are coming, please let us know at jringold@minneapolisparks.org.

The multi-day collaborative visioning process is being developed and funded by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and Hennepin County. The information gathered will help the MPRB comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), currently in development, for the Bottineau Transitway and will provide HC and the MPRB with ideas for future design of the transitway. The public meetings will focus on Theodore Wirth Regional Park and the portion of the proposed D1 Alignment of the transitway that runs within the existing rail line adjacent to the park.

The Bottineau Transitway is a proposed transit project located in Hennepin County, Minnesota that would extend approximately 13 miles from downtown Minneapolis to Brooklyn Park. The project is being led by Hennepin County Regional Rail Authority. For more information about the Bottineau Transitway please visit: www.bottineautransitway.org.

For more information about the Theodore Wirth Regional Park Forum, please visit the project webpage at http://www.minneapolisparks.org/currentprojects or call Jennifer Ringold, Manager of Public Engagement and Citywide Planning, at 612-230-6464.