A public hearing on renaming Lake Nokomis 50th Street Beach to Al Wittman 50th Street Beach will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 6 pm at Mary Merrill Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Headquarters.
Lake Nokomis 50th Street Beach is located at 5000 East Lake Nokomis Parkway. It’s the smaller beach of two on Lake Nokomis, just south of Nokomis Naturescape Garden on the northeast side of the lake. The beach’s current name has never been formally adopted by a Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) resolution or Board action.
Al Wittman worked for the MPRB from 1969 to his retirement in 1997, serving as the Assistant Superintendent for Planning and Development. He oversaw the design and construction of numerous new recreation centers, including the Lake Nokomis Community Center, and the redesign and renovation of many existing parks. He was instrumental in establishing the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, redeveloping St. Anthony Falls area and implementing design standards across the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway.
Wittman loved the water and was a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves. He raised his family near Lake Nokomis, where he kept his canoe, and frequently took his five children to play at 50th Street Beach.
Participate in the Public Hearing
Speak in person: Go to Mary Merrill MPRB Headquarters on the day of the hearing and add your name to the sign-up sheet by 6 pm. You can also call 612-230-6400 on the day of the hearing to sign up to speak.
Email written comments: Email your comments to opentime@minneapolisparks.org by 3 pm on the day of the hearing. Comments will be included in the public record of the meeting.
Next Steps
This is the second public hearing of two required by the MPRB Naming Policy. The first hearing took place on Feb. 21, 2024. The Naming Policy dictates that the Board of Commissioners wait two years to take a final vote after the nomination is made.