Draft Master Plan guiding future of Southwest Minneapolis neighborhood parks opens for 45-day comment period

Comment by April 5 on draft plan containing proposed designs for 43 park properties and six potential new parks. Document also includes information on the planning process, overall area vision, operations and maintenance, and implementation

Comment by April 5 on draft plan containing proposed designs for 43 park properties and six potential new parks. Document also includes information on the planning process, overall area vision, operations and maintenance, and implementation

Today, Friday, Feb. 14, 2020, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) published the draft Southwest Service Area Master Plan for a 45-day public comment period ending April 5, 2020.

Called the Southwest Parks Plan for short, the draft plan contains updated park designs that will guide development of all Southwest Minneapolis neighborhood park properties over the next 20+ years. In addition to the park concepts, the plan also puts forward several proposed potential park spaces and search areas.

The Southwest Parks Plan was created through nearly two years of meetings, events, conversations, feedback, design and adjustment. This is the third iteration of the plan, after initial concepts debuted in February 2019 and revised concepts were shared in May 2019. The document published today represents the final recommendations of the Southwest Parks Plan Community Advisory Committee (CAC), which met 16 times over 18 months. The MPRB would like to thank the CAC for its thoughtful, impassioned dedication to the planning process.

Use the links below to view and comment on the plan online or visit any of the 13 recreation centers in the Southwest Service Area to see a paper copy and leave written comments. Copies are also available at Parade Ice Arena and MPRB Headquarters.

Park Plans

Submit Comments on the Plan

Español / Soomaali

Next Steps

After the 45-day comment period closes, the design team will again consider comments from all stakeholders and potentially make more adjustments. The final plan will then be sent to the Board of Commissioners for a public hearing and vote on the master plan’s approval. Please continue to share your thoughts on the park plans in these final stages of public comment.

Once adopted, the final park designs 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.

This project does not include recreation centers or areas classified as regional parkland, which include: Bde Maka Ska Park, Beard’s Plaisance, Brownie Park, Cedar Lake Park, Cedar Lake Regional Trail, Kenilworth Regional Trail, Lake Harriet Park, Lake of the Isles Park, Lyndale Park, Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Minnehaha Parkway Regional Trail, Morrison Park (home of Minneapolis Institute of Art), Roberts Bird Sanctuary, Soo Line Community Garden and William Berry Park. The one exception is the Loon Lake Trolley Path. The plan for that park space will be amended into the Bde Maka Ska-Harriet Master Plan.

Many Southwest Minneapolis regional park spaces already have long-term plans as part of the Bde Maka Ska-Harriet Master Plan, which was approved by MPRB Commissioners on May 3, 2017.