2017 - 2021
Posted on 2 June, 2022Rooted in racial and economic equity, the 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan (NPP20) is transforming parks across the city.
This long-term initiative resulted from a historic agreement between the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) and the City of Minneapolis to reverse years of underfunding for more than 150 neighborhood parks.
So far, NPP20 directed $20 million to rehabilitation projects like roof and sidewalk replacements, HVAC upgrades, and lighting and accessibility improvements; and $32.5 million to capital investment projects like playgrounds, athletic fields and pools.
Read on for highlights of park investments and repairs funded by NPP20 – or review the recently released 2021 NPP20 Annual Report.
NPP20 Highlights: 2017 – 2021
17 Completed capital investment projects
NPP20 capital investment funds are allocated first to parks where they’re most needed, based on park equity rankings that are updated annually.
2017 – NPP20 Year 1
Bossen Field Park
play area; basketball court; additional parking and paths; new and renovated athletic fields
Cedar Avenue Field Park
new play area surfacing, relocated amenities
Powderhorn Park
new wading pool; three renovated play areas (equipment, surfacing)
2018 – NPP20 Year 2
Northeast Recreation Center
new building
Phillips Aquatics Center / Phillips Community Center
pool renovation, building addition, new pool, parking lot, building rehabilitation and upgrades
2019 – NPP20 Year 3
Painter Recreation Center
building-wide repairs, upgrades
Peavey Field Park
three-court basketball complex, play areas, multi-purpose field, central promenade, site grading, stormwater management, lighting
Central Gym Park
athletic field, basketball court, playground, paths, gathering space
North Commons Water Park
major equipment replacement (for re-use in upcoming rebuild)
2020 – NPP20 Year 4
Folwell Park
play area, renovated tennis courts, paths, athletic field and path lighting
Cleveland, Farview and Lovell Square parks
play areas, community garden space and other flexible-use spaces
2021 – NPP20 Year 5
Currie Park
basketball court, improved play area, splash pad, restroom building
Bassett’s Creek Park
east side play area, picnic facilities, landscaping
Kenny Park
renovations to play areas/equipment, additional new play equipment
Stewart Park
6,000 square-foot multi-use field, paths, fencing, drainage improvements
NPP20-funded capital investment projects in 2022
Construction completed
Perkins Hill Park
all-wheel pump track, natural-surface bike skills trail open this summerPhelps Park
splash pad opens in June, following play area, landscaping, lighting, other improvements completed in 2020
Construction begins
Farwell Park
play area, other improvementsHall Park
play area, bike skills course and moreJordan Park
pool, restroom buildingPainter Park
skate park, gathering spaces, paths, landscaping, sport courts
8 Additional NPP20-funded capital investment projects
(due to staffing constraints, not all funded projects have launched at this time)
- 28th Street Totlot
- Cedar Avenue Field Park
- Corcoran Park
- North Commons Park
community center, water park, playground- Powderhorn Park
- Sumner Field Park
- Victory Park
splash pad, other improvement- Whittier Park
Repairs & renovations: Your NPP20 money at work
NPP20-funded rehabilitation projects are prioritized based on repair, restoration or replacement needs, along with park equity rankings and other factors. When possible, projects are combined for efficiency and cost savings.
9 Roof/siding replacements at recreation centers, other park buildings:
Brackett – roof, Farview – both, Logan – roof, Longfellow – roof, Luxton – both, Whittier – roof; Loring – maintenance roof, Cavell – restroom roof, Godfrey House – siding
11 Recreation centers or park buildings with major repairs and updates
Audubon, Bossen Field, Bryant Square, Farview, Fuller, Kenwood, Logan, Lyndale Farmstead, Matthews, Painter, Phillips
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, Jr.
20 Recreation centers with HVAC replacements or interior electrical/lighting upgrades
26 Parks with accessibility improvements at parking lots, pathways and entries to recreation centers
46 Parks with new or renovated athletic fields or sport courts
56 Parks with play equipment repaired or replaced
66 Parks with concrete path repairs/replacements
NPP20 Annual Reports
Available at minneapolisparks.org/NPP20, the reports provide an overview of the initiative and key financial details on NPP20-funded projects; the 2021 Annual Report covers projects in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
More on MPRB park care and improvements
Visit the current projects page to see the full range of MPRB’s work in progress to maintain, restore and upgrade neighborhood and regional parks, trails and other sites within the Minneapolis park system.