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.

Where does NPP20 funding go?

Over its 20-year term, NPP20 will fund thousands of projects, large and small, in some 160 neighborhood parks throughout the city. NPP20 funds three key program areas:

  • Increased maintenance to help park facilities last longer and work better
  • Rehabilitation projects to address critical failures and make necessary replacements from a maintenance backlog
  • Capital investments to replace major park facilities beyond their lifespan, as specified in approved master plans for an individual neighborhood parks

As NPP20-funded projects are implemented over time, the overall quality and condition of neighborhood parks and park assets will steadily improve. Click on the tabs below for more information on each program area.

How does NPP20 help address racial and economic equity?

NPP20’s criteria-based funding system is the first of its kind in the U.S. It uses seven quantifiable criteria that focus on racial and economic equity to ensure that capital investments are targeted first in the parks and communities where they are needed the most. Neighborhood parks are ranked annually based on these criteria, which include:

  • Community characteristics
    • areas of concentrated poverty and/or communities with 50% or more people of color
    • population density
    • youth population
    • crime statistics
  • Park characteristics for each neighborhood park
    • condition of park assets
    • lifespan of park assets
    • comparison of the capital investment over the previous 15 years with the total cost to replace all park assets

In addition, the full set of criteria receives an annual review to address unintended consequences of the NPP20-related ordinances and adapt to changes in neighborhoods and in parks due to shifting demographics and economics. Equity is also a factor in allocating rehabilitation funds, while all neighborhood parks throughout the system benefit increased maintenance. Over the 20-year course of the plan, all neighborhood parks will be improved. Find a park’s NPP20 ranking [PDF] More about the NPP20 ranking system [PDF] Learn more about MPRB’s racial equity work. Read the equity ordinance related to the 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan.

Fact Sheets

2022 - 2023 Updates

2023

Sibley* Park Improvements: Playground is open!

Hall Park: check out the new sculpture on the bike skills course!

Now Open! Farwell Park‘s new features and improved areas

23 October, 2023 Playground construction begins this week at North Commons Park

23 October, 2023 Painter Park improvements: Construction update

16 October, 2023 Project Update for Riverside Park Improvements

15 October, 2023 Concept approved for renovated/expanded facilities at North Commons Park

6 October, 2023 East Phillips Open Spaces Plan will create long-term vision for parks in East Phillips neighborhood


22 September, 2023
Survey: park concept and feature plans for Folwell Park

18 September, 2023 Update: Re-naming process for Sibley Park

15 September, 2023 Jordan Park – Construction Update

15 September, 2023 Hall Park – Construction Update

13 September, 2023 Public Hearing for Concept Approval at Bottineau Field Park

5 September, 2023 North Commons Park: New preferred draft concept plans released

1 September, 2023 Corcoran Park playground improvements completed this summer

 

8 August, 2023 Construction is underway at Painter Park

18 July, 2023 Join MPRB on August 1 to cut the ribbon on Keewaydin Park’s new playground

15 June, 2023 Sibley Park: Park renaming process update; construction update

5 June 2023 Folwell Park Improvements – Open House Boards

 

17 May, 2023 New Bicycle Skills Course coming to Hall Park this summer!

15 May, 2023 Art-a-Whirl Bottineau Field Park Public Engagement Event

25 May, 2023 Community feedback on concept design for Whittier Park

2 and 3 May, 2023 North Commons Park: Community update on the project to transform park facilities; check out the concept plan for new playground equipment

May 2023 Construction begins soon on Hall Park‘s new bike skills course (May 15); Jordan Park’s new wading pool and other improvements (late May); and Farwell Park’s new playground and other improvements (June);

19 April, 2023 Bethune Park improvements: New funding, one-year construction delay

17 April, 2023 Folwell Park: new project includes new all-wheel track! Take the survey to share your initial feedback

April 2023 Construction begins on improvements at Corcoran Park (week of April 24)Sibley Park wading pool and playground (April 20)

 

2 March, 2023 Bottineau Field Park: Take the initial survey on prioritizing park improvements

22 February, 2023 Weigh in on North Commons concept plans: Join us online Feb. 24 or in person Feb. 25!

15 February, 2023 Survey: 28th Street Tot Lot Park Improvements and Park Naming

25 January, 2023 New zero-depth-entrance wading pool and playground are coming to Sibley Park

11 January, 2023 Park Improvements coming to Bottineau Field Park

10 January, 2023 New preferred concept plan for Riverside Park

3 January, 2023 Concept Plans for North Commons Community Center and Water Park Debut Tuesday, January 10!

 

2022

December 14, 2022: North Commons improvements: Get a first look at concept plans on January 10!

December 5, 2022: Cedar Avenue Field Park lighting project is complete

November 21, 2022: Corcoran Park: Public Hearing on concept plan and master plan amendment scheduled for November 30

October 31, 2022: Corcoran Park: Survey Results on Concept Plan Options

October 26, 2022: Construction beginning soon on Cedar Avenue Field Park lighting

 

September 26, 2022: Bethune Park improvements project is underway

September 16, 2022: Improvements at Riverside and Bohemian Flats Parks: In-person open house on September 29

September 2, 2022: Van Cleve Recreation Center closes September 6 for improvements

August 22, 2022: Corcoran Park improvements: New survey on revised options for concept plans

August 19, 2022: Northside community members, groups expand engagement for North Commons Park improvements

August 11, 2022: Whittier Park Improvements: Community Engagement

August 8, 2022: MPRB is announcing a new park, playground, and wading pool improvements at Riverside Park and Mississippi Gorge Regional Park!

 

July 8, 2022: Construction on improvements at Jordan Park, Hall Park and Farwell Park is temporarily delayed

July 1, 2022: Perkins Hill Park pump track: Join us July 13th to celebrate!

July 1, 2022: North Commons improvements: Thanks for a successful Design Week!

 

June 2, 2022: Marking a Milestone: Five Years of NPP20 Accomplishments, from 2017 to 2021

May 27, 2022: North Commons Park: Open House for ALL June 2 – share ideas and help design the park’s future!

May 9, 2022: Court repairs & renovations: 2022 projects are underway!

April 25, 2022: Help create a next-generation destination for the Northside community

April 25, 2022: MPRB is announcing a new outdoor gathering space at Hiawatha School Park!

 

2020 - 2021 Updates

2021

September 16, 2021: Keewaydin Park improvements: Preliminary concept plans to be shared next week

September 1, 2021: Renovation of basketball, tennis courts is underway at multiple neighborhood parks

August 31, 2021: Improvements are coming to Jordan Park!

August 11, 2021: Farwell and Hall Park Improvements: Online surveys close this Friday, August 13

August 10, 2021: Sibley Park: Learn about the park improvements project and give your feedback

July 28, 2021: Update: 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan (NPP20)

July 22, 2021: July 29: Community open house event outside at Farwell Park; online survey still available

July 27 & August 5: Hall Park community open houses – outdoors; online survey still available

May 20, 2021: Share your thoughts on improvements coming to Corcoran Park!

May 14, 2021: Construction of the Seven Pools at Thomas Lowry Park is underway

May 11, 2021: Share your thoughts on playground and wading pool improvements coming to Sibley Park!

March 31, 2021: Victory Park update: Construction is on hold for the summer

January 27, 2021: New NPP20-funded project: Playground improvements at Kenny Park!

2020

December 21, 2020: Playground at Farview Park is Now Open!

November 23, 2020: Temporary art banner installed at Currie Park

November 4, 2020: New playground at Lovell Square park is open

October 29, 2020: Update: New playground and flexible-use space at Farview Park

October 29, 2020: Farview Park improvements update: Playground construction, a host of other park and recreation center improvements

October 27, 2020: New playground at Cleveland park is open

September 29, 2020: Phelps Park project update: Play areas now open; splash pad design is complete

September 9, 2020: The Bassett’s Creek Park play and picnic area project is underway

August 4, 2020: New tennis courts open TOMORROW – August 5!

July 23, 2020: 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan (NPP20) Update: Capital Investments

July 15, 2020: Currie Park Construction Update: Basketball court and play area are now open!

July 14, 2020: Construction begins soon at Bassett’s Creek Park!

June 29, 2020: Improvements at Cleveland, Farview, Lovell Square parks: Construction starts this summer!

June 24, 2020: Construction Update: Improvements at Folwell Park

June 9, 2020: Concept plans approved for pump track, bike skills course at Perkins Hill Park

May 4, 2020: Folwell Park: additional improvements under construction

January 17, 2020: Currie Park construction: Winter work is complete; crews return in April.

January 10, 2020: Concept plan approved for Bassett’s Creek Park improvements

2018 - 2019 Updates

2019

October 24, 2019: New playground at Folwell Park is scheduled to open by Friday, October 25

October 21, 2019: Victory Park: Review design concepts for the new splash pad!

September 19, 2019: Currie Park improvements are underway!

September 12, 2019: Lyndale Farmstead Recreation Center closes for rehabilitation project

August 15, 2019: New multi-use field opens at Peavey Park Monday, August 19

June 17, 2019: For neighborhood parks and the people who love them, NPP20 is a win-win

May 23, 2019: Join us to celebrate the newly revitalized Peavey Park!

April 18, 2019: Join us! Painter Recreation Center re-opens on Monday April 29 at 5:30 pm

April 11, 2019: Construction nears completion; grand opening celebration scheduled for May 31

April 11, 2019: Currie Park update: construction is on hold for the summer

February 8, 2019: Newly adopted master plan guides long-term development of North Minneapolis neighborhood parks

2018

October 10, 2018: Help plan improvements at Northside neighborhood parks: Cleveland, Farview, Lovell Square & Perkins Hill

October 10, 2018: Painter Recreation Center closes October 22 for rehabilitation project

October 1, 2018: Fuller Recreation Center re-opens Tuesday October 2, following major rehabilitation project

September 4, 2018: Update: 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan (NPP20)

August 24, 2018: Kenwood Recreation Center re-opens August 27, following major rehabilitation project

August 21, 2018: Construction update: Phase 2 of Peavey Park’s transformation

July 26, 2018: Project update: Accessibility improvements at various parks and recreation centers

July 25, 2018: Peavey Park’s transformation continues! Phase 2 construction begins July 30

June 19, 2018: Join us to celebrate major improvements at Central Gym Park

June 19, 2018: Sidewalk improvements scheduled for south, southwest Minneapolis neighborhood parks

May 24, 2018: You’re invited: Get info and share your thoughts on Currie Park improvements

May 23, 2018: Construction begins June 11 on $1 million-plus project

April 17, 2018: 2017 Annual Report [PDF] for the 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan (NPP20) is available

March 27, 2018: Register for aquatics programs and tour the new facility during Open House Week, April 11 – 17

February 14, 2018: Summer rehabilitation projects announced at three recreation centers

2016 - 2017 Updates

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Closing the Gap: Investing in Neighborhood Parks Initiative - 2015 - 2016

CTG Final Report* [PDF]
CTG Case Study Documents* [PDF]

Closing the Gap: Investing in Neighborhood Parks (Closing the Gap) was an initiative of MPRB Superintendent Jayne Miller and Park Board Commissioners. The Closing the Gap initiative shared information with Minneapolis residents and partners about the condition and service level of neighborhood parks; and gathered information about investment priorities for replacement, operating, and maintenance of existing park assets. It assessed the impacts of the age of the system and deferred maintenance – or delaying regular upkeep past the point of repair – have had on more than 150 neighborhood parks in Minneapolis.

*These documents were first produced and published in print format in 2015. If you need this in a more accessible format, please contact customer service 612-230-6400

Closing the Gap Park Reports 2015

News Releases 2015-2016

These are projects to build, replace or reconstruct major park facilities and amenities: for example, recreation centers, athletic fields, playgrounds and pools. Goals for NPP20 capital investments:

  • Implement approved master plans for an individual neighborhood park or a Service Area Master Plan
  • Support MPRB’s RecQuest initiative to ensure that recreation facilities, programs and services align with current and long-term community needs
  • Align with MPRB’s goals to increase accessibility and racial equity
  • Address the needs of diverse park users and better reflect changing neighborhoods
  • Focus on parks in under-served areas of the city

Funding sources NPP20 funding helps to build racial and economic equity and sustainability in neighborhood parks. In some cases it supplements previously approved Capital Improvement Program (CIP) funding; in others, it allows for improvements that wouldn’t otherwise be funded. It’s important to note that the CIP allocates funds to projects in both neighborhood parks and regional parks; NPP20 funding, approved in 2016, is dedicated to neighborhood parks.

Find more information about NPP20 capital investment allocations for neighborhood parks:

  1. Interactive dashboard for MPRB’s Capital Improvement Program
    The dashboard offers several ways to look at NPP20’s capital investment funding and all other CIP information. It dates back to 2017 and includes any Board-adopted funding allocations. For more information on the dashboard, please call Customer Service at 612-230-6400.
  2. CIP spreadsheet [PDF]
    This current spreadsheet covers NPP20 and all other funding from 2022 to 2027. Previous CIP spreadsheets dating back to 2007 are included in MPRB’s annual budgets dating back to 2007 and published on the website’s Budget & Financial section.

Rehabilitation projects repair, restore or replace a wide range of park facilities and amenities that are not part of capital improvement projects. The goals for NPP20 rehabilitation program are to enhance park safety; meet critical codes and regulations; implement MPRB’s Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan; address critical failures and make necessary replacements from a maintenance backlog; improve or restore functionality, efficiency and long-term performance; and focus on park features most in need of repair or replacement.

Periodic Rehabilitation & Repair Updates

February 2023: Upcoming rehabilitation work

Capitalizing on data collection in neighborhood parks in summer 2022, MPRB staff planned a series of repair and replacement projects at neighborhood parks for 2023.  

Park Amenities 

  • Replacement of exterior drinking fountains at 10 sites 
  • Repair and rehabilitation of park benches across the neighborhood system  
  • Rehabilitation of neighborhood trails at three or four sites across the city (similar to last year’s trail project at Van Cleve Park – see November 2022 update below) 

Court Re-surfacing
Continuing work done in 2021 and 2022, resurfacing plans include:

  • 3 basketball courts at Perkins Hill and Folwell parks and at Wirth Beach
  • 8 tennis courts: five at Webber Park, two at North Commons Park and one at Victory Park 

Park Building and Recreation Center Repairs and Updates

  • Shingle replacement on the South Side Operations Center roof
  • Roof design for Powderhorn Recreation Center (construction planned for 2024).  
  • Restroom remodeling at Lake Nokomis Community Center and Luxton Recreation Center (meet current ADA standards and MPRB guidelines for all-gender access) 
  • Spark’d Studio construction planned at Whittier Recreation Center

Completed projects (see November 2022):

  • Interior updates at Folwell Recreation Center and the range of improvements at Van Cleve Recreation Center

November 2022: Sport court and recreation center repairs

Court renovations complete

Work wrapped up in October at courts at neighborhood park locations (and at regional parks with other funding sources). Repairs ranged from new color coating and line striping; some included an asphalt overlay; and the most extensive, a full-depth renovation of the entire surface.  They included:

  • Basketball courts at Bryant Square, Elliot, Fuller, East Phillips, Sibley and Riverside parks
  • Tennis courts at Nokomis Park (the neighborhood park within Nokomis-Hiawatha Regional Park) and Northeast Park
  • Basketball and tennis courts at Lake Hiawatha (neighborhood), Matthews and Powderhorn parks
  • Bike polo at Central Gym Park

Other rehabilitation and repair work

In August, announcements were made for an array of repairs and rehabilitation projects at three locations:

  • New furnaces and air conditioning to be installed at McCrae Recreation Center
  • Folwell Recreation Center
    • abatement work and remodeling of unused locker rooms into ADA-compliant/gender neutral restrooms plus storage space
    • updated flooring, cabinets, and countertops installed in the two kitchens and arts & crafts room
    • roof replacement
  • Van Cleve Recreation Center
    • another locker room-to-restroom-plus-storage conversion
    • air conditioning
  • Van Cleve Park also saw the replacement of an 800-foot trail segment in a high-use area, which was done in just a day and a half.

 

2017-2021: Five Years of NPP20 Rehabilitation (May 2022)

Replacing furnaces and roofs is not all that attention-getting, but utterly necessary. Same goes for fixing a sagging roofbeam or faulty elevator, and repairs for sinkholes and cracked sidewalks.  These types of critical needs typically fall outside capital investment projects, and aren’t part of routine maintenance, either.

However, NPP20 funds allowed MPRB to expand its rehabilitation program in neighborhood parks: its six-year budget – $20.4 million from 2019 to 2024 – is five times more than the pre-NPP20 budget of $3.97 million.

Here’s an overview of rehabilitation accomplishments in neighborhood parks from 2017 to 2012 – that is, the first five years of NPP20:  

7 recreation centers with restrooms renovated for current ADA requirements and all-gender access
Audubon, Bossen, Bryant, Farview, Lyndale Farmstead, Matthews, Painter
 

8 recreation centers or buildings with extensive repairs, rehabilitation and updates
Audubon, Bossen Field, Farview, Fuller, Kenwood, Logan, Lyndale Farmstead, Painter, Phillips
 

9 roof replacements at park buildings 
Recreation centers: Brackett, Farview (also siding), Logan, Longfellow, Luxton (also siding), Whittier
Other buildings: Loring (maintenance), Cavell (restroom), Godfrey House (siding only)
 

12 parks with renovated sport courts
basketball at Bryant Square, Elliot, Fuller, Hall, Holmes and Van Cleve parks; basketball and tennis at Cavell, Kenny, Logan, Lyndale Farmstead and Pearl 
 

13 parks with lighting replacements or repairs

Audubon, Bossen, Bryant Square, East Phililps, Elliott, Farview, Folwell, Fuller, Matthews, McRae, Lake Nokomis, Powderhorn, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior

20 recreation centers with HVAC replacements or interior electrical upgrades  

26 parks with accessibility improvements at parking lots, pathways to recreation centers, center entries 

56 parks where play equipment was repaired/replaced 

66 parks with concrete path repairs/replacements

2020 Rehabilitation Accomplishments (Jan. 2021)

  • 3 restroom facility overhauls to provide equitable access regardless of ability, gender or cultural background, at Farview, Lyndale Farmstead and Matthews recreation centers (construction planned for 2021 at Bryant Square and Audubon recreation centers)
  • 4 roof replacements: recreation centers at Logan and Farview parks; other buildings at Loring and Cavell parks
  • 5 furnace replacement projects at Beltrami, Kenwood, Farview, McRae and North Commons recreation centers
  • 23 parks with concrete sidewalk segment-replacement projects completed (this work completed at 66 total park locations, since NPP20 funding allocations began in 2017)

Updates by Work Category

Information posted as projects are announced and/or completed.

About the NPP20 Rehabilitation Program

MPRB staff developed an expanded program to identify rehabilitation projects and to guide decision-making in prioritizing and scheduling them. This system accounts for a wide range of projects in terms of scale and complexity, and allows for flexibility due to the changing conditions of park features. The program is based around four key processes:

  1. Comprehensive inventory of all park features (or “assets”) that require maintenance, repair or eventual replacement
  2. Condition assessment of assets by qualified industry professionals
  3. Ranking of assets’ need for rehabilitation as critical, high, medium or low
  4. Prioritization of projects considering more than a dozen factors, including seasonality, cost estimates and efficiencies in project delivery

Read the full NPP20 Rehabilitation Program overview [PDF]

This program area is one of three “legs” – along with capital investments and rehabilitation projects that supports the NPP20 initiative and ensures Minneapolis’ 160 neighborhood parks remain a vital part of their communities. It includes increasing and sustaining service levels for a range of maintenance practices that are critical to revitalizing all neighborhood parks. Regular maintenance improves the performance and maximizes the service life of park equipment and amenities. That, in turn, improves efficiency and sustainability throughout the park system.
During the initial years of the NPP20 initiative, MPRB is working to increase maintenance in the following 11 categories at all 160 neighborhood parks in Minneapolis. For more information on that process, click on the links below.

  • Mowing
  • Building maintenance
  • Playground inspections
  • Horticulture/garden maintenance
  • Site amenities: Inspection, replacement, repair (benches, tables, grills)
  • Sidewalk surface maintenance, repair
  • Plumbing startup/shut-down timeline
  • Tree pruning
  • Asphalt maintenance and repair
  • Rotating roof inspections
  • Electrical, boilers and HVAC Inspections

Increasing maintenance: goals and process

Goals

  • Incorporate environmentally sustainable practices
  • Improve the integrity and durability of parks and park amenities
  • Incorporate new and increased maintenance practices at all neighborhood parks

Process for increasing maintenance

MPRB is following a five-stage plan to increase maintenance in eight categories. The time frame varies for each category but the goal is to fully initiate new maintenance practices by mid-summer of 2018.

  1. Analyze current procedure
  2. Evaluate and develop work plan
  3. Train staff and implement program changes
  4. Evaluate
  5. Fully initiate new procedures

Initial targets for increasing maintenance in 11 park maintenance categories

Operations, Maintenance and Repairs Category Pre-NPP20 Service Level 2018 Service Level Target Service Level
Turf Mowing every 14 days every 10 days every 10 days
Building Maintenance 126,067 hours/year 145,000 hours/year 145,000 hours/year
Play Area Inspections/Repairs 2 times/year 2 times/year 4 times/year
Gardens and Planted Areas – Maintenance 4,080 hours/year 6,300 hours/year 6,300 hours/year
Outdoor Park Furniture – Repairs/Replacements every 20 years every 10 years every 10 years
Plumbing startup/shutdown (spring & fall) 6 to 8 weeks 5 to 7 weeks 3 to 4 weeks
Tree Pruning every 10 years every 7.5 years every 7.5 years
Sidewalks and Concrete – Inspections/Repairs .25 mile/year 1 mile/year 1 mile/year
Asphalt Surfaces – Inspections/Repairs none annually annually
Roof (annual rotating basis) none annually annually
HVAC Systems, Boilers, Electrical Systems periodically annually annually

Get more information on our park maintenance page.