The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is opening four park restroom buildings this Friday, April 24, at Bryn Mawr, Marshall Terrace, Mueller and Willard Parks to support the city’s and county’s work to provide hygiene services for people experiencing homelessness
Posted on 21 April, 2020The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is opening four park restroom buildings this Friday, April 24, at Bryn Mawr, Marshall Terrace, Mueller and Willard Parks to support the city’s and county’s work to provide hygiene services for people experiencing homelessness.
Each park location was selected to fill gaps in services already provided by local experts and agencies collectively working to serve people experiencing homelessness and housing instability. The MPRB’s small restroom buildings with indoor plumbing are in parks that are known to be near perennial encampments. The following restroom buildings will be open from 8 am – 8 pm daily starting April 24:
- Bryn Mawr Meadows Park, 601 Morgan Ave. S
- Marshall Terrace Park, 2740 Marshall St. NE
- Mueller Park, 2509 Colfax Ave. S
- Willard Park, 1626 Queen Ave. N
“The Park Board is dedicated to supporting our most vulnerable neighbors during this unprecedented time. We are working closely with the City, the County, and nonprofit partners to open restroom facilities in a way that ensures we keep people safe from COVID-19. We will continue to work with our partners to improve safe hygiene infrastructure for those who rely on our parks the most,” explained MPRB President Jono Cowgill.
Leaders at the City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District (DID) and many other local nonprofits have been working diligently to provide a unified response to meeting the needs of people experiencing homelessness in Minneapolis.
“Throughout this crisis, local government will need to continue working together to deliver core services – including providing access to basic hygiene service for people experiencing homelessness. We’re lucky to have strong partners like Superintendent Bangoura, President Cowgill, and Vice-President Vetaw who are committed to collaborating and supporting people in need,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
The on-going and coordinated local response has included alternative accommodations at hotels, additional funding for shelter providers, a new collaborative safe space, public health outreach, and hygiene access provided by the city, county and DID in partnership with community partners.
“We have been working with local leaders and experts for several weeks,” explained MPRB Superintendent Al Bangoura. “I’m pleased by our staff’s work to get these four locations up and running quickly now that overnight temperatures are no longer dropping below freezing and water can be turned on,” said MPRB Superintendent Al Bangoura.
Visit minneapolisparks.org/coronavirus for more information on the MPRB’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Receive timely email updates by visiting minneapolisparks.org/subscribe, entering your email and selecting the “COVID-19” topic in the “News Updates” section.