Check out new designs for all 33 Minneapolis neighborhood parks east of the Mississippi River!

Posted on 5 July, 2018

After nine months of conversations with people who use neighborhood parks in Northeast and Southeast Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is excited to unveil draft park designs for 33 neighborhood park properties east of the Mississippi River. The designs also plan for new park connections, like the Grand Rounds Missing Link.

The final park design concepts will be used to build improvements funded by the 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan, which dedicates $11 million annually over 20 years (2017-2036) to revitalize Minneapolis neighborhood parks.

Park Design Concepts

Two park designs (Concept A and Concept B) were created for each park property in the East of the River Park Master Plan. Find the concepts for your favorite parks using the links below:

Parks A-B
Architect Triangle, Audubon Park, Barton Triangle, Beltrami Park, Bottineau Park

Parks J-N
Jackson Square Park, Logan Park, Luxton Park, Marcy Park, Monroe Place Triangle, Northeast Athletic Field Park

Parks C
Caleb Dorr Circle, Cavell Park, Chergosky Park, Chute Square Park, Columbia Park

Parks O-T
Oak Crest Triangle, Orlin Triangle, Sibley Triangle, St. Anthony Park, Tower Hill Park, Towerside Park (New)

Parks D-I
Deming Heights Park, Dickman Park, Elwell Park, Franklin Oval, Hi-View Park, Holmes Park

Parks U-Z
Van Cleve Park, Waite Park, Washington Triangle, Windom Northeast Park, Xcel Field Park

All the PDF documents containing the park concepts linked above are also available on the East of the River Park Master Plan project page (www.minneapolisparks.org/eastoftheriver) under “Design Concepts” on the right side of the page.

Share Feedback

Park planners will collect feedback through the online survey linked below and at a slate of community events planned throughout July.

ONLINE SURVEY

WHEN: Through July 29
WHERE: www.surveymonkey.com/r/eastofriver

COMMUNITY BBQ

WHEN: Tuesday, July 10, 5-8 pm 
WHERE: Beltrami Park 
1111 Summer St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413

COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE PARK BUS TOUR

(open to the public) 
WHEN: Saturday, July 14, 10 am-3 pm 
WHERE: Meet at Minneapolis Park and Recreation Headquarters 
2117 West River Rd N, Minneapolis, MN 55422
**Preregistration required by July 12 at 
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/east-of-the-river-park-bus-tour-tickets-46124178660

COMMUNITY HAPPY HOUR

WHEN: Tuesday, July 17, 5-7 pm 
WHERE: 612Brew
945 Broadway St. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413

PARK PLAN VAN: MOBILE PARK DESIGN SHOWCASE

WHEN: Saturday, July 21, all day! 
WHERE: Look for us in all the parks throughout the day in NE/SE Minneapolis, where we will be sharing the park designs with park users

SPREAD THE WORD

Please help spread the word about this important opportunity to shape the future of many beloved neighborhood parks! Consider posting links to the designs on social media, submit information for your neighborhood newsletter or community calendar, tell your neighbors at farmers markets and summertime events, or any other methods your communities use to share information.

Flyers with information about the upcoming events are available in English, Spanish, Somali and Hmong. Contact Carrie Christensen at cchristensen@minneapolisparks.org for details.

Partners and Next Steps

PERKINS+WILL

Perkins+Will is the landscape architect of record for the project, partnering with the MPRB to develop the East of the River Park Master Plan, developing design plans for the 33 park properties and regional park connections, and providing implementation tools and strategies to support the process. The firm’s goal is to help the MPRB transform the neighborhood parks in the Northeast/Southeast region of Minneapolis through a shared vision that can only be developed by building and sustaining meaningful relationships with the communities they serve.

YOUTH DESIGN TEAM

The Youth Design Team (YDT) is an MPRB pilot program that employs high school students to participate in planning neighborhood parks in NE and SE Minneapolis. During the year-long process, these youth work with MPRB planning staff, design consultants, local artists and community members to help bring important youth perspectives and creative ideas to the process and park plans. Youth Design Team participants went through a competitive application process, are 15-19 years old, live or attend school in Northeast or Southeast Minneapolis. 

NEXT STEPS

Park planners will analyze all public feedback to create a recommended design for each park property by fall 2018. Community members will have a 45-day public comment period to comment on those designs before they are considered for final approval by MPRB Commissioners.