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.   

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Where does NPP20 funding go?


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How does NPP20 help address racial and economic equity?


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Fact Sheets


What's New

2016 and 2017

October 24, 2017: NPP20: Year One Capital Investment Highlights

October 12, 2017: Equity in Minneapolis Neighborhood Parks Video

July 25, 2017: NPP20 brings more mowing and pruning, plus sidewalk replacements, to neighborhood parks

July 20, 2017: Rehabilitation project update: critically damaged sidewalk segments at 15 neighborhood parks will be replaced in August and September, 2017.

July 20, 2017: Rehabilitation project announcement: Replacement of amenities and playground surface at Cedar Avenue Field Park

April 12, 2017: Board notification: 33 neighborhood parks slated for rehabilitation projects

February 15, 2017: Board notification: Rehabilitation projects announced to improve accessibility at 26 recreation centers.

January 25, 2017: Board presentation: MPRB’s expanded rehabilitation program, a critieria-based system for prioritizing rehabilitation projects, and schedules for rehabilitation work for 2017 

October–November 2016: 2017 budget presentation and approval process - find out how NPP20 funding fits into the 2017 budget.

July 6, 2016: Board Actions: MPRB adopts Resolution 2016- 223, establishing a criteria-based system based on racial and economic equity for scheduling capital and rehabilitation neighborhood park projects funded through the 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan

Spring 2016–Spring 2017: In order to accelerate maintenance cycles and undertake a higher volume of rehabilitation and capital improvement projects in neighborhood parks, MPRB is expanding its workforce in multiple areas. Visit our jobs page to see current opportunities.

May 18, 2016: Board Actions: MPRB adopts Resolution 2016-195 – The 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan

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Key Documents

NPP20 Annual Report

Neighborhood Park Equity Rankings

Six-Year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)

Citywide Comparison of Park Investments

2017 [PDF]
2016 [PDF]

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

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.

Capital Investments

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.

Click on the links below to see parks that have allocated NPP20 funding for that year (or view an interactive map of park projects). Note: Funding amounts are based on MPRB's 2017 budget.

 

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2017


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2018


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2019


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2020


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2021


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2022


Rehabilitation

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.

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Current NPP20 Rehabilitation Projects


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About the NPP20 Rehabilitation Program


Increased Maintenance

Maintenance is a key part of the 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan. With regular maintenance, a wide range of park facilities, from playground equipment to drinking fountains, can last longer and work better. In addition, well-maintained parks are more appealing, which can in turn help attract more users, which in turn can help make them safer places. Finally, over time, increased maintenance through NPP20 can reduce the need for costlier replacements, improving efficiency and sustainability throughout the entire neighborhood park system. If capital investments and rehabilitation projects are two legs on a stool, then increased maintenance is a third leg: It provides critical support to help make Minneapolis’ 160 neighborhood parks a vital part of their communities.

During 2017 and 2018, 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

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Increasing maintenance: goals and process


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Initial targets for increasing maintenance in 11 park maintenance categories


Get more information on our park maintenance page.